Meru Governor Peter Munya named PNU leader, to run for President in 2022

Meru Governor Peter Munya address PNU delegate's conference at Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi on 28/October/2016, after being elected as Party leader of PNU. PHOTO BY EDWARD KIPLIMO.

Meru Governor Peter Munya officially began his 2022 presidential campaign journey yesterday after Party of National Unity (PNU) delegates enthroned him as their party leader and endorsed his ambitions.

During a PNU National Delegates Convention (NDC) at the Bomas of Kenya auditorium, thousands of delegates from across the country cheered on as Munya gave notice that he would give Deputy President William Ruto a run for his money in the 2022 contest.

The party, still smarting from a forced dissolution endorsed by the Registrar of Political Parties, but trashed by Political Parties Tribunal, resolved to support President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election in next year’s General Election.

It also resolved to field candidates in all other elective positions – parliamentary, Senate, governors and MCAs’ seats.

“We have started the journey for State House in 2022,” Munya excitedly thundered immediately after he was elected the party leader.

Besides party leader position, delegates elected 10 other officials to steer the party. David Kamau and Sheikh Juma Ngao were elected vice chairmen, while John Anunda was re-elected the Secretary General.

Others elected were Paul Nguga (Deputy SG), Dr Steven Koskei (Organising Secretary), Peter Kaberia (Treasurer), Anastasia Munyedo (Assistant Treasurer), Prisca Mwita (Chair, Women Congress) and Beatrice Cherono (Youth Leader).

Former nominated MP George Nyamweya was elected chairman of the board of trustees.

The position of the party chairman previously held by John Kamama was not floated for election. Kamama was the front-man of forces behind the unsuccessful bid to dissolve the party into Jubilee Party.

Delegates allowed the executive council to fill the chairman’s position alongside a number of others left out in yesterday’s elections.

“We are not doing anything strange or out of the ordinary. In 2007, President Uhuru Kenyatta himself declared support for our then PNU candidate Mwai Kibaki. He did not dissolve Kanu and later we supported him to become the fourth President. Our journey is more or less similar,” Nyamweya said.

Tributes to Kibaki

Both Munya and Nyamweya paid glowing tributes to former party leader – retired President Kibaki – for leaving behind a solid legacy, which the party can ride and build on. They also praised the Judiciary for standing firm against the forced dissolution of the party.

In 2007, Kibaki dumped his 2002 election party, Narc, following a bitter fallout with its principals. He then used PNU as a re-election vehicle under the slogan “Kazi Iendelee”. The slogan was the catch-phrase of the masses at yesterday’s convention.

“We were saddened by the attempts to kill such an important party with such a cherished history. We thank the courts for stopping this conspiracy in its tracks and in the process revealing a lot in terms of the conduct of some people,” Munya said.

He also paid tribute to former Vice President, the late George Saitoti, who had revamped the party in preparation for the 2013 General Election, only to die in a chopper crash months into the election. The party then went into a lull and did not field a presidential candidate in 2013.

Yesterday, the new leader announced that the party will embark on re-drafting its manifesto to enable it fight modern challenges. He said the hallmark for the new PNU will be its uncompromising defence of devolution.

“As a party, our rallying point is devolution. We condemn in the strongest terms possible the ongoing theft of health funds at Afya House. These are money, which ought to have been devolved in the first place since all the health functions were devolved. It’s time the Health Ministry was either scrapped or re-engineered as a policy ministry,” Munya said.

In an interview after the convention, the Meru governor denied he was being fronted by Central Kenya leadership to checkmate Ruto ahead of the 2022 contest.

“I am my own front. I fronted myself. I declared my interest on my own and I will go out to seek support from all over, including Central Kenya. Everyone else, including PNU members, are welcome to declare their bids,” he said.

He said his party does not need any special arrangements to support President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election.

While rallying parties to dissolve, top JP honchos had insisted that the President’s party will not accept any other support from affiliate parties outside the dissolution framework.

“The delegates have already spoken and you heard them. I do not have a choice and neither does he. If he does not want our support, we will have to convene once more and deliberate on the way forward. For now, neither I nor the President can contradict PNU delegates,” Munya said.