Nyeri, Kenya: A week after Governor Nderitu Gachagua declared he was ready to dissolve his Grand National Union (GNU) party and join Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP), Nyeri branch TNA party officials have told him his party is not a Jubilee affiliate.
Nyeri TNA co-ordinator Phillip Githua yesterday said JAP's logo constitutes only TNA and United Republican Party (URP).
Mr Githua, who was accompanied by another co-ordinator Daniel Gachara, asked Gachagua to first resign from his party if he is to be accepted in JAP.
"He is the Secretary General of GNU, a party which is not an affiliate of Jubilee coalition. He should resign from his party and also dissolve it before he can be accommodated in JAP," said Githua.
The officials claimed GNU did not sign any accord, or Memorandum of Understanding with the ruling Jubilee coalition, adding that as a governor, he did not include any TNA or URP members in his government.
"GNU declined to work with TNA from the beginning. This is why it keeps on fielding candidates in by-elections. For us, this negates Jubilee coalition's mission of bringing all affiliate parties together," said Githua.
UNFOUNDED CLAIMS
But Gachagua, through his close associates dismissed the TNA officials, calling them self-imposed leaders, who are going against President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy William Ruto's call for party unity.
"How come they are calling themselves President Kenyatta's party lieutenants on the ground, while fighting parties interested in joining JAP. The President was very specific when he was in Naivasha and he called on GNU and Alliance Party of Kenya to join JAP," said the source, who sought anonymity.
He said TNA officials have started panicking instead of bracing themselves for a hot contest once Gachagua joins JAP.
Nyeri JAP branch chairman Wambugu Nyamu dismissed the claims as unfounded, saying Gachagua and his GNU party are welcome in the new formation.
He said the intention of the new party was to get all progressive parties, which include GNU.
"JAP is not TNA or URP. JAP is a party that has come to join all Jubilee affiliates and other friendly parties. We intend to bring in every like-minded party," said Mr Nyamu.
The JAP official said Gachagua had pledged to work with the current office holders and had affirmed his intentions to wind up GNU.
Nyamu observed that JAP has so far recruited 600 officials in Nyeri County and was targeting over 12,000 in each of the 600 polling stations.
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