Musalia Mudavadi's new party gets green light from registrar

Former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi’s new political outfit Amani National Congress (ANC) has officially been registered by the Registrar of Political Parties.

Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung’u confirmed that ANC had been issued with a provisional registration certificate, and it was supposed to popularise itself in the next 180 days.

“Now that they have a provisional certificate, they are required to submit applications within the 180 days after opening at least 24 offices in 24 counties, and registering 1,000 members from each of the counties among other requirements,” Ndung’u told The Standard on Saturday.

With the go ahead, the newly registered ANC kicked off member recruitment ahead of its official launch within 90 days.

Nairobi information technology expert and businessman Godfrey Osotsi is ANC’s secretary general. Like Mudavadi, Osotsi hails from Vihiga County.

Osotsi confirmed that Mudavadi would seek the presidency on ANC ticket in 2017. He said Mudavadi’s recent refusal to take a ministerial appointment in the Jubilee government demonstrated he was fully focused on his 2017 presidential prospects.

“We have already registered 60,000 members. The ANC launch will be before August, followed by grass root elections culminating to a National Delegates Conference by December,” said Osotsi.

UDF Secretary General Justus Kizito Mugali also revealed that other members, MPs and MCAs allied to the former DPM are set to join ANC.
“Currently, we have two UDF factions, one headed by myself as Secretary General, which is backed by Mudavadi and the other allied to chairman Hassan Osman. Our camp is set to cross over to ANC. The exodus will kick off soon,” said Kizito.
On this new development, political analyst Barrack Muluka, said what Mudavadi is doing can only be viewed in the context of what is happening in national politics.

“Other key political players at the national level are re-organising for 2017, and that informs the formation of outfits such as the Jubilee Alliance Party. For Mudavadi, he also has to refocus for the future,” noted Muluka.

On plans to dump UDF, Muluka said it is widely believed the party was fashioned by others, and that it was only prudent for Mudavadi to have his own house, where he can have total control.

Abandoned ship

Earlier attempts by Mudavadi and group to re-brand UDF into ANC were resisted by the Hassan group, leading to conflict within the party for the better part of last year.
The Political Parties’ Dispute Tribunal ruled on December 18, 2014 that UDF adopts dialogue and reconciliation, but Mudavadi seems to have decided to ship out.

Mudavadi hinted on moving to ANC on April 26 when he met 68 MCAs drawn from Western, Nyanza and Rift Valley in Vihiga County, in an attempt to win local support.
“Some MCAs accepted to back Mudavadi and they will be shifting to ANC,” said an MCA.

Sabatia constituency MP Alfred Agoi who was present at the meeting noted Mudavadi’s quest for support to his party would be a stepping stone to his 2017 presidential bid.