PNU Alliance to pick flag bearer next month

By Munene Kamau and Patrick Muthuri

The PNU Alliance is set to hold its National Delegates Conference (NDC) on March 27, where the party’s presidential flag bearer will be picked.

Party Secretary General Kiraitu Murungi said the move was meant to ensure that "our house will be in order before June, this year." The party’s grassroots elections will kick off from March 7, in order to pave the way for the NDC.

Kiraitu added that a massive nationwide membership recruitment drive was on, after having launched the exercise in Embu and Tharaka-Nithi Counties on Saturday.

Speaking at Mitheru market during the launch of the recruitment drive, Kiraitu said all candidates intending to vie for various elective positions on the PNU Alliance party ticket must register.

Kiraitu said where there were several aspirants contesting for a seat, they will all be subjected to a free and fair nomination process to ensure only the suitable candidate gets the party ticket.

Accompanied by Siakago MP Lenny Kivuti and his counterpart for Nithi Kareke Mbiuki, Kiraitu assured all aspirants in various positions of fairness, saying the party was transparent and democratic.

Kivuti on his part said residents of Mt Kenya East region had agreed to use the PNU Alliance as their vehicle to the forthcoming general elections.

The aspirants include County ward representatives, MPs, Governors, Senators and Women representatives who will be contesting the positions on the PNU Alliance ticket.

Speaking separately in Meru Town, Minister for Co-operatives Development and Marketing Joseph Nyagah called on presidential aspirants in Mount Kenya region to unite and agree on whom to support in the general elections.

Nyagah called on other aspirants to shelf their ambitions and support Uhuru Kenyatta who will negotiate with other aspirants.

"The Luo and Kalenjin communities speak in one voice but we from Mt Kenya speak through 20 voices. Let them sit together and give Uhuru the mandate so that he can negotiate with Raila, Ruto, Kalonzo, Mwakwere and others. This region lacks a negotiator," said Nyagah.

Nyagah’s message came as a surprise to many since he is an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) member.

Nyagah warned that the region risks landing in the opposition in the next government if those seeking the presidency continue pulling into different directions.

He further lauded the formation of Mount Kenya East Political Caucus noting that the unity will ensure the region is no longer taken for granted by successive governments.