Restless PNU meets over flagbearer
Leaders allied to the PNU Alliance will on Friday make another attempt at crafting an organisation they hope to use to sponsor a presidential candidate in the next General Election.
The meeting, called by PNU chief whip Johnstone Muthama, will be held at KCB training centre in Karen and comes against a backdrop of perceived mistrust among the party’s leadership.
The PNU Alliance has made attempts to come up with a common strategy and candidate for the Kibaki succession race. Its key leaders are Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Internal Security Minister George Saitoti.
His game plan
While Central Kenya MPs have endorsed Mr Kenyatta, and others in Eastern have backed Mr Musyoka, Prof Saitoti has left the rest guessing about his game plan. It was only last weekend that the former vice-president indicated he would be in the race.
Prof Saitoti has remained guarded about his political strategy though he insists he is still together with the rest despite missing out in several meetings attended by Mr Musyoka and Mr Kenyatta.
The unity of the PNU Alliance has been successfully tested twice in the Kirinyaga Central and Kamukunji by-elections. The fielding of a single candidate by the alliance’s affiliate parties has seen them easily deliver the seats.
PNU secretary-general Kiraitu Murungi told the Sunday Nation that the victories in the two by-elections were an indicator of the political strength of the alliance as well as the G7. Mr Murungi said the alliance would build on the successes to consolidate support.
Small parties
“From the by-elections, it is now clear that the next election will be a two-horse race between the PNU Alliance and ODM.
The other small parties like Narc-Kenya and others will be the donkeys,” Mr Murungi said.
He added that their task now is to ensure that Mr Kenyatta, Prof Saitoti and Mr Musyoka continue working together to strengthen the alliance and consolidate their unity with the other G7 leaders.
On Tuesday night, legislators from Central Kenya met under the chairmanship of Mathira MP Ephraim Maina where succession politics took centre stage.
The group agreed there was a need to strengthen the alliance and hold joint nominations.
With a common goal of locking out Prime Minister Raila Odinga from the presidency, the leaders are hellbent on forging a common front. But their plans have so far been derailed by mistrust and the high number of presidential hopefuls in the alliance.
Besides, the alliance is engaged in taming the influence of other Central leaders who have declared interest, including Narc-Kenya chairperson Martha Karua and assistant minister Peter Kenneth.
Of key concern, however, is the fact that alliance leaders are all working on their individual strategies. And this appears to be the main headache for the technocrats tasked with putting together the technical aspects of the alliance.
Political vehicle
“We have everyone pulling to their side, and this includes the vice-president who has already rebranded this ODM-Kenya party. There is a feeling that even Mr Kenyatta should have his own political vehicle, which he can use to negotiate with others,” said political strategist Prof Peter Kagwanja.
The other concern for the technocrats and leaders is the laid-back approach of Prof Saitoti, who is also the party chairman. Prof Saitoti has not actively engaged in the politics of who should be the alliance’s flagbearer.
