By James Munyeki

The National Alliance (TNA) officials have maintained they are not ready to work with any other party as they campaign for Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.

The party co-ordinator in charge of county campaigns, John Njuguna, and the Nyandarua interim chairman Edward Ruiru said Uhuru’s supporters should join the party now before it is too late.

“It is either you are in TNA or ODM. All other parties saying that they support Uhuru should dissolve and join TNA since we want to elect TNA members from the presidency to the county representatives,” said Njuguna.

2007 lesson

Speaking during a tour dubbed Uhuru Mashinani Campaign in Nyandarua County on Wednesday, he said it was in the public domain that elections would be a two-horse race between Uhuru and Raila and, therefore, other parties should desist from dividing votes.

Ruiru noted that those who support Uhuru were not ready for a repeat of 2007 polls when PNU failed to garner majority parliamentary and civic seats. 

“Why should we hide ourselves in the sand and watch as we lose the seats to small parties? We should consolidate all our votes and vote as a bloc,” said Ruiru.

Big opposition

Ruiru also assured various aspirants that the nomination exercise would be free and fair and there was no need for them to scamper to smaller parties.

“We know the reason why the aspirants shift to these parties is because of fear of nomination. We can assure you that the party office will not favour any candidate just like the party leader has said,” he said.

The leaders were on a campaign trail to drum up support for Uhuru as he seeks to succeed President Kibaki.

They regretted that about 200,000 people in the county did not have identity cards while the Government had not processed over 7,000 cards already applied for.

The statement could irk other leaders in Mt Kenya region with parties but still supporting Uhuru.