Uhuru allies plan to ditch ‘sinking’ Kanu

Allies of Kanu chairman Uhuru Kenyatta are preparing to quit the party and join a new one which he will be use to contest the forthcoming elections.

Sources on Tuesday revealed that Mr Kenyatta, the Deputy Prime Minister, and his allies will not be attending Kanu’s National Delegates Conference (NDC) on Saturday.

But supporters of his rival, Kanu vice-chairman Gideon Moi, maintained that they would continue with the NDC as planned.

Kanu organising secretary Justin Muturi yesterday revealed that Mr Kenyatta’s camp will quit the independence party, saying they “were not ready to stay in a sinking ship”.

“The NDC is illegal and if this persists, I also do not have any option but to jump ship. This is clearly a ship that is leaking heavily and sooner or later we have to find a new home,” Mr Muturi said in a telephone interview.

Though he did say which party Mr Kenyatta was bound to join, he said the process of “shopping for a new home” is ongoing.

Another of Mr Kenyatta’s allies, Nominated MP Amina Abdallah was unwilling to speak on the way forward but said “we will wait and see if the NDC will happen.”

But secretary-general Nick Salat, who has called the meeting said it would go on as planned as long as there was quorum.

Sources revealed that Mr Kenyatta is now engaging political parties that have indicated they can accommodate him. Among them are Grand National Union, PNU Alliance, Democratic Party and National Alliance Party of Kenya.

Meanwhile, the G7 Alliance to which Mr Kenyatta belongs, is working out a political structure that includes a summit, political and technical working groups.

The summit will include Mr Kenyatta, Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa.

The Tuko Pamoja Foundation will be the main organ for inter-party coordination.