Leaders back Kiraitu's move to join JAP as Munya differs

Senator Kiraitu Murungi says APK is ready to join JAP

Meru leaders seem to have disagreed over the formation of the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP).

Speaking in Imenti South during Njoguni Catholic Church’s jubilee celebrations on Sunday, Senator Kiraitu Murungi (pictured) said his Alliance Party of Kenya (APK) was ready to join JAP to build one strong party going into the 2017 elections.

But speaking earlier, another regional political heavyweight, Governor Peter Munya, said APK supporters were against it joining the new alliance.

A number of county assembly members (MCAs) who had accompanied the senator assured him of their support as he represented the county's interests at the national level.

“As the Bus Party, we are here to protect the interests of Meru people. In politics there are no permanent friends or enemies. We only have permanent interests. At the moment, we have only 15 per cent of allocations for water and roads. We want more funds,” said Mr Murungi.

Right decision

Speaking in Meru yesterday, North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood said he supported the senator’s move as his Imenti South counterpart Kathuri Murungi said the formation of JAP was the right decision for the ruling coalition.

“I was with the senator in Naivasha and we agreed if the interests of the Meru community were going to be protected in JAP, then we would join it.

"I agree with the senator’s decision. Meru has been out of Government for a long time but now that we are in it, the best thing is to remain there," said Mr Dawood.

“The governor has talked of another party in Meru but we have not talked about that. We need to be in a strong vehicle that will help the region develop,” he said.

Majority of the ward representatives in the county are from APK.

Their sentiments contradict Munya’s assertion that APK would neither be dissolved nor enter into a new joint venture for the 2017 polls.