By FRANCIS NGIGE

Signs of internal competition are beginning to show in the informal G7 alliance, as its key leaders get ready to test their political strength against one another.

Previously, the G7 group was accused of being preoccupied with its verbal attacks on the man to beat in the General Election, Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Now, they are getting into position for a test of political might to determine who runs for president and who holds back.

Eldoret North MP William Ruto has named Matuga MP Chirau Ali Mwakwere as his running mate in the United Republican Party (URP), signaling he is ready for a leadership contest. The move is said to have left Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, who planned to compete for URP’s presidential ticket, unhappy.

Jirongo has now joined Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa, another G7 player from western Kenya angling for influence as a presidential hopeful. The two hope to be a “third force” rivalling Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi in the region.

The Sabatia MP, who quit ODM and is making himself at home in the United Democratic Forum Party, is believed to be orbiting around the G7 with plans to make a deal later. On Saturday, Musalia drew Mumias MP Benjamin Washiali into UDF, starting what may be a series of defections in western Kenya. He has signalled he is willing to work with the G7.

Deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta, the last of the G7 presidential hopefuls without an election vehicle, will formally launch The National Alliance (TNA) party on Sunday at Kenyatta International Conference Centre. The name is designed to portray a movement open to everyone, aides say. However, there are concerns some of the politicians supporting Uhuru will not join the party.

“The ideal situation would be for all the people supporting Uhuru’s candidature to be in one party,” says Mathira MP Ephraim Maina. “But that now appears far-fetched. People are pulling in different directions.”

Uhuru has been under pressure from Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa to pick a party to enable structured talks on pre-election deal.

At a recent public rally in Kigumo, Murang’a County, Ruto said: “I am in URP and the rest are in other parties. We want Uhuru to name his party so that we can prepare the ground in readiness for elections.”

The Gatundu South MP is determined to avoid the 2007 fiasco that faced President Kibaki when an array of parties backed his re-election on a Party of National Unity ticket. Kibaki’s victory was disputed and PNU could not command a majority in Parliament. With MPs scattered in affiliate parties, it had to reach our to Kalonzo Musyoka’s ODM-Kenya to form a Government.

Uhuru’s plan is to have one party with individual membership that can command a reasonable majority in Parliament. He successfully negotiated the take-over of the National Alliance Party of Kenya, now rebranded The National Alliance.

After obtaining a registration certificate, Uhuru’s next challenge is to bring together the multiple parties backing his presidential bid and agree on how to recruit members and nominate candidates to compete for various seats.

Snubbed meeting
A meeting called on Thursday by the Deputy PM’s backers to discuss the fate of supporters from other parties in Mt Kenya region aborted after Uhuru reportedly snubbed it. The PNU Alliance linked to Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi, the Grand National Union linked to Assistant minister Mwangi Kiunjuri and Democratic Party are among the parties that want to retain their identity even as they support Uhuru.

However, TNA officials and MPs allied to Uhuru insist there is no room for corporate membership in the party. The stark message is: “You are either with us (in TNA) or you are considered an opponent.”
Nithi MP Kareke Mbiuki said TNA had ruled out informal types of corporate membership, since this would create confusion. Once the party is launched next weekend, he said, it would recruit individual members.

“We (PNU) learnt a bitter lesson (in 2007) by not fielding joint parliamentary candidates,” Mbiuki told The Standard on Sunday. “We ended up having MPs supporting Kibaki elected in different parties.”
Mbiuki ruled out the possibility of Uhuru contesting the presidency through the Alliance Party of Kenya saying: “It is either they join us in TNA or field their own presidential candidate. Kenyans should not confuse TNA with the Alliance Party of Kenya led by Kiraitu and MPs Johnston Muthama and Lenny Kivuti.”

Kiraitu is said to be seeking assurances of a pre-election agreement before his party can join Uhuru at the launch of TNA. Mbiuku, however, dismissed the Kiraitu bus as “Nkubu bound”.

“It will not even stop in Embu or Runyenjes,” he said. “Its final destination is Imenti South. No one is in that bus.” An official of the newly registered party confirmed Mbiuki’s sentiments. “All those wishing to support Uhuru’s candidature should join this party,” said the official, who declined to be named.

But Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi warned Uhuru should not expect all his backers to troop to TNA.
“My support for Uhuru is not automatic. I must go by what the people I represent want since I am a Kanu MP,” said Linturi.
Ephraim Maina, who is the chairman of Central Kenya Parliamentary Group, saw no issue.

“The law (Political Parties Act) does not allow corporate membership. We can only come together as a coalition of parties,” said Maina, a close ally of Kiraitu.

Cabinet minister Esther Murugi, who is among key supporters of Uhuru, pleaded with his followers to join the party. Mr Maina, however, said the possibility of the Mt Kenya region identifying with one party appeared unachievable.

Independent moves
The Kiraitu-led Alliance Party of Kenya has declared it will pick its presidential flag bearer at the end of the month. Other parties are also making independent moves.

As a pointer to the intrigues, on Saturday unlikely allies met to declare solidarity at a Nyeri hotel. At the meeting called ostensibly to underline a “commitment for unity during the coming elections” were Kiunjuri, Maina and former minister Chris Murungaru of DP.

Kiunjuri acknowledged there is growing tension over the issue of central Kenya’s many parties, but sought to downplay the issue.

“We are insisting that there is enough pasture for every cow in the herd,” he said, paraphrasing a popular Gikuyu proverb.

On Saturday, TNA chairman Johnson Sakaja, an aide of Uhuru, told The Standard on Sunday plans are complete for Sunday’s launch. He said invitations would be sent out to G7 leaders and UDF’s Musalia Mudavadi.

He added the party also expected representatives from political parties outside the country “who are our friends,” including South Africa, Uganda, Germany and Tanzania.

According to officials, the party will convene its delegates’ meeting on May 26 to prepare for national elections following grassroots elections in 31 counties.

“We are at an advanced stage of engagements with like-minded leaders like Uhuru, Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka,” said Kangundo MP Johnston Muthama, who was among MPs present when party officials received election results from counties.

Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, the Wiper Democratic Movement party leader, has insisted he is in the alliance but lately he has engaged in lone campaigns. Kalonzo, Uhuru and Prof Saitoti of PNU signed an election pact some time ago, committing to joint presidential nominations, but the issue has gone cold with each rolling out separate presidential campaigns.