Uhuru to rename party for coalition with allies

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta will join a party that will be crafted into a coalition of parties friendly to his presidential bid.

Revelations that he is waiting for the National Alliance Party of Kenya to be awarded with a certificate before he announces his move, came as his counterpart Musalia Mudavadi last evening wrapped up plans of the party to join that has been registered.

He will announce the new party on Wednesday.

Sources said Mr Kenyatta had pushed forward his plans to name the new party by at least 11 days to pave the way for changes he wants carried out on the NAP-K.

The party, it was said, would be renamed The National Alliance and its symbol changed from a leopard to a dove — a sign of peace.

There have been indications in recent weeks that Mr Kenyatta would take over the NAP-K headed by veteran Kiambu politician Lawrence Nginyo Kariuki.

The crafting of the party has been discreet and its new officials — some aides of the DPM — did not invite the media when they presented their papers to the Registrar of Political Parties on April 23.

“The DPM has shunned all regional parties and wants a party that has a national outlook and one that has fully complied with the Political Parties Act. There is already one and it will be made public by mid this month,” a source close to the DPM, who was unwilling to be quoted over the issue, said.

In a similar manner, Mr Mudavadi, who has quit ODM, has settled on a party not represented in the current Parliament.

However, the party which has already been registered is associated with young MPs who have stated that they want to bring change in governance.

On Saturday, Mr Kenyatta was asked by allies to hasten the naming of his party to enable G7 Alliance solidify their union.

Among those who asked the DPM to name his party are MPs William Ruto, Aden Duale and Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa.