KANU revamps city branch leadership

KANU Nairobi, Branch Chairman, Frank Mbogo wearing KANU Cap, after being appointed on Thursday, 27th, May, 2021. [Samson Wire. Standard].

The Kenya African National Union (KANU) party has revamped its operations ahead of next year's elections.

The Independence party has changed its Nairobi branch leadership and launched a digital membership registration and recruitment drive largely targeting women and youth.

Frank Mbogo was appointed city branch chairman and is expected to breathe new life into the party. Mbogo is also at the Pubs, Entertainment and Restaurants Association (PERAK) Nairobi branch.

In his maiden task, Mbogo reconstituted the Nairobi sub-branch offices and requested the officials to wait for further communication on restructuring.

"Kanu will for sure be in the next government and we have to be ready as a party. The changes were needed to comply with the party constitution and the political parties Act, 2011 on membership and party structures from the grassroots," said Mbogo.

He also called on other political players in the capital to get on the negotiating table with Kanu to ensure the Baringo Senator Gideon Moi-led party clinches majority of the elective positions next year.

"To all those looking for leadership slots in Nairobi from straight from MCA to Governor, join us and we are ready for negotiations because want to bring back the leadership of Nairobi to Kanu," said Mbogo.

He added: "I commit to forge a close relationship with the party leadership, including our national chairman, secretary general Nick Salat, national organising secretary, national treasurer as well as the national executive director George Wainaina and the entire secretariat. We will penetrate and be felt in all corners of the city county."

Kanu youth leader Betty Adera said with less than 13 months to the General Election, the party had put in place mechanisms to extend its reach across the country and will train leaders seeking elective positions.

"The Nairobi office will also pursue business empowerment programmes for youth and women in consultation with the party secretariat and our strategic partners for opportunities not limited to grants, credit products and loan security especially to the small and medium enterprises. Together, we will define Nairobi's political landscape," she said.

Meanwhile, the party city leaders urged the court to rescind its decision declaring the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill, 2020 null and void. Adera said: "While we respect the ruling by the court, we should not let the gains proposed for youth and women go down the drain."

Mbogo said they support national chairperson Gideon Moi on his stand for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Bill.

In the recent past, Gideon been rolling out a silent strategy to revamp the Independence party. The senator has also been making forays into different parts of country including Coast, the Maa counties and Mount Kenya notably Kiambu, Embu, Nyeri and Tharaka Nithi where he has attended church services, public functions, and assembled local teams to revamp the party.

The Kanu chairman is also part of the “One Kenya Alliance” that brings together Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi, Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya).