Nick Salat warns DP Ruto as Kanu readies to unveil massive recruitment campaign

NAIROBI: Independence party Kanu will launch a massive national recruitment drive next month.

Party Secretary General Nick Salat said the party hopes to enlist a million members every month.

He warned Deputy President (DP) William Ruto of a bruising battle in the coming General Election between the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP), the political vehicle President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to use in his bid to return to State House in 2017, and the former ruling party in the Rift Valley.

“We are on top of the things as at now. We will still support the current President but we will never dissolve Kanu,” he said when asked if Kanu will field a presidential candidate in 2017.

He faulted the DP for calling for dissolution of the United Republican Party (URP), saying the move would “limit democracy”.

“It will be very difficult for William (DP) to do any negotiation with other parties. That means the DP will be weaker unlike when he was in URP. But now people from Rift Valley should not be worried because there is an alternative and that is Kanu,” he said.

The party, which will celebrate its 55 years anniversary in two weeks’ time, vowed to reactivate its networks across the country, starting with Rift Valley.

“We will be having a road show starting from Mai Mahiu all the way to Elgeyo-Marakwet where a marathon has been planned as a climax ahead of a political rally that senior party officials are expected to address. It will be a month-long exercise,” said Salat.

Salat said the party will hold a national youth congress at a later date in Nairobi where “a post-mortem of the number of youth who are party members will be done”.

“We are largely targeting the youth who make the bulk of voters in this nation. We are opening up party offices and giving Kanu a new face,” he said.

Mark Chesergon who heads the ‘Kanu Fresh’ wing said the party was getting a warm reception in Rift Valley.

Baringo North MP William Cheptumo, a close ally of the DP, dismissed Salat’s plans to dethrone JAP in Rift Valley. He said JAP will win big there and asked locals to support the DP.

“Kanu has been around for so long and there is nothing new they can promise us in Rift Valley that was not done in 24 years Moi was in power,” he said.