Legal hurdles, mistrust threaten PNU Alliance

Politicians behind the PNU Alliance are working overtime to beat legal hurdles in order to unite its various component parties and presidential aspirants affiliated to it.

This follows stringent rules contained in the new Political Parties Act governing the formation of coalitions, mergers and other forms of political alliances.

Matters were complicated by the absence of Prof George Saitoti, one of the Alliance’s perceived principals, from the launch of registration of party members at KICC on Friday. Prof Saitoti has spent the last few weeks strengthening his Party of National Unity (PNU) in readiness to throw his hat in the ring for the presidency.

At the launch of the alliance at Uhuru Park on Friday, Vice- President Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and the event’s convenor, Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi, were at pains to show a united front despite the glaring absence of key movers in their respective camps.

But both Mr Musyoka and Mr Kenyatta were categorical that whereas their parties – the Wiper Democratic Movement and Kanu respectively – would work towards cementing their unity through the PNU Alliance, they would retain their individual identities.

It was noteworthy that the launch came against a backdrop of heightened political efforts by leading presidential aspirants to revitalise their individual parties to ensure they conform to the strict demands of the Political Parties Act.

The Registrar of Political Parties Ms Lucy Ndung’u has already written to all political parties reminding them that they have until May 1 to comply with the law or face deregistration. The requirements include the holding of party elections and the registration of at least 1,000 members in at least 24 counties among others.

The new laws have no provision for corporate party membership where an individual can belong to two political parties at the same time, making it difficult for politicians to join forces under loose arrangements for electoral purposes.

“The days of corporate membership are long gone; the only way out is for each party to strengthen itself, and that is why we do not understand what this PNU Alliance is all about. It is an illegality,” Kanu organising secretary Justin Muturi said.

According to Clause 10 of the Act, political parties may form a coalition before or after an election and shall deposit the coalition agreement with the Registrar at least three months before elections, while one entered into after an election shall be deposited with the Registrar within 21 days of signing the coalition agreement.