KANU and CCM in talks with Jubilee rebels as they eye chunk of Rift vote

KANU Chairman and  Baringo Senator Gideon Moi. Political parties with a strong base in the Rift Valley are preparing to reap from the mass merger of parties that formed Jubilee Party. (PHOTO: COURTESY)

Political parties with a strong base in the Rift Valley are preparing to reap from the mass merger of parties that formed Jubilee Party.

Independence party Kanu, led by Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, and Chama Cha Mashinani of Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto are putting in place strategies to win the support of disgruntled leaders and voters from the dissolved United Republican Party (URP).

The Standard on Sunday has established that the two parties are in talks with a number of elected representatives who have expressed interest in joining them for fear that Jubilee Party’s nominations will not be free and fair.

Gideon has many times warned leaders from the region to be wary of Jubilee leadership. Moi has said the top leaders in Jubilee have already hand-picked their preferred candidates for various positions.

“Some of them have realised that they will not get JP nominations even if they won the primaries due to their differences with the Deputy President,” claimed Governor Ruto without disclosing any names.

Kanu Secretary General Nick Salat said they have had “fruitful” talks with some Jubilee Rift Valley legislators.

“Kanu is talking to everyone. We have had fruitful discussions with some of the people who do not feel comfortable in the other party. I have been speaking to some of them and they were nice talks.

“We are not closing the door on anyone who wants to come back home,” Mr Salat told The Standard on Sunday in a telephone interview.

Some of the disgruntled leaders admit they are yet to decide which party to turn to.

“A number of Rift Valley politicians have their own reservations about which party to join ahead of the 2017 polls. As for me, I am still consulting my people before I make that announcement,” said Kuresoi South MP Zakayo Cheruiyot

Pundits say Governor Ruto’s strategy to lock Jubilee out of the South Rift might hurt the new party, especially if he decides to give some disgruntled MPs and MCAs direct nominations to contest against JP candidates.

“This might lead to a situation where CCM candidates have to campaign for President Uhuru Kenyatta to win their seats, hurting Jubilee which wants numbers both at the National Assembly and the Senate,” said Willy Bett, a local political commentator.

But Jubilee leaders from the region insist the merger will unify voters. “The president and his deputy are uniting the country under the Jubilee Party. The people of South Rift understand this and are willing to support the initiative by re-electing President Kenyatta,” said Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat.

The DP’s allies are confident that Rift voters will never abandon the president’s party to join the opposition.

“It would be foolhardy for voters to leave the government to try their luck elsewhere. They are fully behind Jubilee,” said nominated Senator Liz Chelule.

But still, a section of Jubilee leaders acknowledge that Kanu and CCM pose a real threat to their party’s support in the Rift.

“We are aware of the danger the two parties pose to President Kenyatta’s re-election. There are a lot of voters in Nakuru County who come from Bomet and Kericho and these are the people Kanu and CCM are targeting,” said Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri.

The MP, who chairs the Nakuru County Parliamentary forum, says they will embark on a series of rallies to counter the onslaught.

Dismissing CCM as a nonstarter, Joyce Laboso said it was only meant to confuse and divide the Rift Valley voters. “You cannot start a party and expect it to pick up in such a short time. The Kalenjin community is solidly in Jubilee,” she said.

Other leaders from the region are a little cautious when commenting on matters to do with the Jubilee Party, saying they are still consulting with voters.