DP distances itself from Kuria presidency bid

The Democratic Party has distanced itself from Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria’s declaration that he was the party’s 2022 presidential candidate.

In a statement rebutting Kuria’s move, the party asked Kenyans to disregard the MP’s declaration.

The MP on Tuesday shared a campaign poster on Facebook indicating that he would be seeking the presidency on the party’s ticket.

The move has drawn the condemnation of the party, which said the legislator is not eligible to vie on its ticket.

DP Deputy Secretary General Wambugu Nyamu denied knowledge that the Gatundu MP had engaged the party to secure a ticket.

“DP has an elaborate processes on how to nominate its presidential candidate with a requirement that any candidate must be a DP life member, of which Kuria is not,” Nyamu said.

The party’s national chairman Esau Kioni said the move had caught them by surprise. He added that the MP had not contacted the party and neither was he a member.

“It hit us on the face that someone who is not a member of the party had declared himself as a candidate of DP.”

Never declared

“Nothing prevents him (Kuria) from being a friend of the party but the members were concerned about the extent he had gone. The decision on our candidate rests with the National Delegates Conference,” Mr Kioni said.

Yesterday, Kuria said although DP was one of the parties he was considering joining, he was yet to make up his mind.

“I have never declared which party I will vie on. I am looking various parties to assess which one is close to my vision and agenda for this nation. DP is on that shortlist.”

He added: “Let them relax. The process will take some time and they will be notified of the outcome through formal channels,” said Kuria.