APK’s founder has been quoted as saying that political parties are merely bridges to power and should be dismantled when their owners achieve their goal
Unfortunately, despite the new Constitution’s mandate to reduce the use of political parties to consolidate ethnic votes for some politician’s individual gain, the Alliance Party of Kenya (APK) is clear evidence that we are not out of trouble yet.
APK’s founders have been on a crusade to sell the party as a savior of the Meru “from misuse and dumping by other ethnic groups”. Never mind that many Kenyans think Merus are the greatest beneficiaries of Kibaki’s ten-year rule with APK founder being a principal beneficiary.
This is partly why there was too much money to splash on the day APK governor and senator candidates presented their nomination papers.
It did not matter that this show of force and power disrupted businesses and traffic in Meru town and on their caravan’s routes or that school buses bought by mostly poor parents were unavailable for use by students. I wonder what the law says about use of parastatal and public educational facilities for political campaigns.
If buses and trucks could vote, then APK will be the victor. Good thing is, the public is already asking questions about so much waste in a show of pomposity, yet most of those supposed to be intimidated and mesmerised by the procession cannot afford school fees for their children. APK and other similar political outfits should be exposed if most innocent Kenyans have to stop being permanent foot soldiers to safeguard personal interests. Firstly, even to deserve a ministerial position for a region, any political party must have at least nine Members of Parliament. APK will be lucky if it comes up with two MPs from the whole of wider Meru, irrespective of how much money there is available to spend. In any case, APK has not signed any pre-election agreement with the two big alliances jostling for the presidency (Jubilee and CORD) to deserve any consideration for senior political posts.
In simple terms, this party can only succeed in leading Merus to political oblivion while promoting personal agenda. In any case, the new Constitution makes it impossible for politicians to dish out political gifts without question.
Let us also remember that APK’s leader was around when the late Godfrey Mwereria of the Green Party and Mathew Adams Karauri (Forepa) formed Meru parties but which died for lack of support by senior Meru politicians.
Similarly in 2008, seven of the nine sitting Meru MPs’ intent to form a Meru party were fought for challenging the supremacy of Merus in power. In fact, APK’s founder has been quoted as saying that political parties are merely bridges to power and should be dismantled when their owners achieve their personal goal; no wonder he has been a member of seven political parties during his political career.
By the way APK was actually formed for Uhuru Kenyatta and only turned out to be a Meru Party when Uhuru decided to form his own, The National Alliance. APK’s founder deserted PNU to first form PDM and later APK. APK’s forced connection to Meru is thus a manifestation of a frustration in an attempt to promote personal agenda through a likely presidential winner. Talk of sour grapes!
The writer is MP for Tigania West and Assistant Minister Higher Education, Science and Technology
