PNU official says party still independent, didn't join Jubilee
PNU officials during a meeting in Nakuru on August 4, 2016. Part secretary-general John Okemwa has assured members that the party is still independent and had not dissolved to join the Jubilee Party. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Okemwa accused Mr Kamama of going against PNU’s national executive committee resolutions.
- He said Mr Kamama and Jeremiah Kioni had earlier signed the resolutions that affirmed the party’s stand against the merger.
- He maintained that Mr Kamama was a lone ranger and that PNU would hold a genuine delegates conference on October 28, 2016.
- He accused Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi of using his differences with Governor Peter Munya to cause confusion among PNU members.
Party of National Unity (PNU) secretary-general John Okemwa has assured members that the party is still independent and will field candidates in the 2017 elections.
He has insisted that the party did not dissolve to join the recently launched Jubilee Party.
This comes even after party chairman John Kamama last Friday declared it had dissolved to join Jubilee.
Speaking to the Nation, Mr Okemwa accused Mr Kamama of going against PNU’s national executive committee resolutions.
He said Mr Kamama and Jeremiah Kioni had earlier signed the resolutions that affirmed the party’s stand against the merger.
Mr Okemwa said PNU delegates did not take part in the dissolution since Mr Kamama had sued to bar the national delegates conference on September 9.
“It is disturbing that Mr Kamama could invoke the name of former President Mwai Kibaki in his action.
"The case that he filed with the Political Parties [Disputes] Tribunal is still pending. [The] IEBC and the tribunal have copies of PNU resolutions that state that the party would not merge with Jubilee,” Mr Okemwa said.
KAMAMA A LONE RANGER
He maintained that Mr Kamama was a lone ranger and that PNU would hold a genuine delegates conference on October 28, 2016.
“We don’t understand what Mr Kamama wants by declaring that PNU is dissolved. But we are preparing our delegates for the conference. We will have 20 delegates from every county at Bomas of Kenya,” he said.
PNU, the official said, would only consider working with parties that have a similar agenda as his party's.
He accused Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi of using his differences with Governor Peter Munya to cause confusion among PNU members.
He said Mr Murungi lied to Kenyans that PNU was among the dissolved parties.
“Mr Murungi should come clean on why he is after PNU. He knows there was no meeting and resolutions dissolving the party. Why should he lie about the merger?” Mr Okemwa posed.
Mr Murungi had earlier said that PNU had presented to the Jubilee committee its resolution to dissolve.
The PNU chairman, who announced the dissolution of the party on Friday, had said that there was no dispute over the move.
Mr Kamama said he had consulted Mr Kibaki, who he said was proud of the merger.
