Parties asked back Uhuru's bid in TNA

By FRANCIS NGIGE
The Central Kenya Parliamentary Group want all the parties supporting Uhuru Kenyatta’s candidature to enter into a pre-election pact.
Worried that the multiplicity of parties supporting Uhuru may affect his chances, the group say it is through unity of the region that the Deputy Prime Minister will have a head start in the polls.
Then group chairman Ephraim Maina said all the parties supporting Uhuru should make agreements and deposit them with the registrar of political parties.
“The unity of the region is very paramount. We do not want a scenario where our numerous parties will work against Uhuru’s candidature,” said Maina.
Speaking to The Standard on phone from Amsterdam where he is on parliamentary business, Maina said Uhuru decision to join The National Alliance (TNA) party should be respected.
“Even if we are in different political parties, we should remain united and rally behind Uhuru. He is the leader of the region,” said the MP.
Uhuru is set to unveil TNA as his political vehicle on Sunday at a ceremony at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC).
The G7 leaders who have putting pressure on Uhuru to name a party are expected top attend the launch, according to party officials.
Apart from TNA, other parties rooting for Uhuru include the Kiraitu Murungi Alliance Party of Kenya and the Grand National Union associated with assistant minister Mwangi Kiunjuri.
Yesterday, Maina said for Uhuru to succeed in convincing other regions to vote for him, his backyard must be united behind him.
At the same time, Maina called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to enforce the code of conduct to ensure that elections are held in a peaceful atmosphere.
He said the commission should not allow politicians to get away with inflammatory statements or incitement.
“We do not want a situation where the country will degenerate into chaos as a result of careless talk by politicians. The commission should put its feet down and disqualify such politicians,” said the MP.
“The greatest thing that the aspirants can do is to ensure that elections are conducted peacefully,” said Maina who is eyeing the Nyeri senate seat.
Assistant Minister Mwangi Kiunjuri supported Maina saying politicians should not be allowed to preach hatred.
Kiunjuri called on police Commissioner Mathew Iteere, National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) Chairman Mzalendo Kibunjia and Chief Justice Willy Mutunga to take action against leaders preaching tribalism and disunity.
Kiunjuri observed that politicians had started segregating Kenyan while they fight to earn support from various regions.
“This is the high time the authorities took proper and stringent action against the war and hate mongers. We should not allow anybody to take us back top the dark days of 2007 when leaders divided Kenyans and led to the chaos,” he said.
Kiunjuri, who was accompanied by his Secretary General Mr Nderitu Gachagua and Nyeri County Council Chairman Mr Wachira Keen was addressing a Grand National Union (GNU) popularisation tour in Nyeri County.
 

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