By Francis Ngige
Despite their professed support for Uhuru Kenyatta as their preferred presidential candidate, political leaders in Central Kenya continue to pull in different directions.
The 10 parties already cleared by the Political Parties Registrar and which are active in the region have spun confusion despite leaders calling for unity.
The emergence of over 10 political parties that have so far complied with Political Parties Act requirements has thrown the electorate into a spin of confusion. Mathira MP Ephraim Maina who is the Central Kenya Parliamentary Group Chairman, said although it would have been ideal for the region to subscribe to one party, it is unlikely to become reality.
“It would have been ideal for all of us to be in (under) one roof, but going by the trends witnessed in the current political scenario, it (we are) highly unlike to achieve that,” said Maina.
That leaves Central Kenya with Uhuru Kenyatta’s The National Alliance (TNA), Prof George Saitoti’s Party of National Unity (PNU), Martha Karua’s Narc Kenya, Kiraitu Murungi’s Alliance Party of Kenya and Mutava Musyimi’s Democratic Party.
Musalia Mudavadi’s United Democratic Forum (UDF) is also heavily anchored in the region with several MPs holding key positions.
emained defiant
Other parties include Mwangi Kiunjuri’s Grand National Union (GNU), Peter Kenneth’s Kenya National Congress (KNC), Paul Muite’s Safina and ODM, which is fronted by MPs working closely with Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Many thought that with Uhuru presenting TNA as his political vehicle, many politicians in different parties would troop to the new outfit. But even some politicians allied to him have remained defiant, saying they would not abandon their parties in favour of TNA.
On the other hand, the DPM’s supporters have told politicians from the region not in TNA to start writing their political obituaries.
After the mega launch of TNA at an elaborate ceremony at KICC a fortnight ago, Alliance Party of Kenya (APK), also associated with politician from the region, was officially unveiled a week later.
The Kiraitu Murungi-led party, whose symbol is a bus, said it was looking for a “driver” among Uhuru, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Cabinet Minister George Saitoti.
