Kiraitu dismisses Munya PNU move

Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi (left), Imenti Central MP Gideon Mwiti (center) and Lugari MP Ayub Savula chat during a fundraising on July 24, 2016. Mr Murungi, who is Jubilee’s interim steering committee co-chairman, said PNU - under chairman John Kamama - had agreed to merge. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Munya, who has opposed the merging of parties into Jubilee Party, has joined PNU where he intends to vie for the party's leader post.
  • The governor said he was ready to work with PNU and seek the presidency in 2022 on the party’s ticket.

Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi has poured cold water on Governor Peter Munya’s decamp to the Party of National Unity.

Mr Munya, who has opposed the merging of parties into Jubilee Party, has joined PNU where he intends to vie for the party's leader post.

Speaking at Kirogine in Imenti North, Mr Murungi, who is Jubilee’s interim steering committee co-chairman, said PNU - under chairman John Kamama - had agreed to merge.

“I hear the chairman of the Council of Governors has decamped to PNU. But unfortunately, PNU is one of the parties that are joining Jubilee.

"I want to welcome the governor to Jubilee through PNU. I am ready to go to the nominations with him,” said the senator.

He added: “I don’t understand how the governor did his research. I want him to know that PNU is not available. He can look for another party because the leadership of PNU is with us in Jubilee.”

Mr Murungi was with Imenti North MP Rahim Dawood, Mr Mithika Linturi (Igembe South) and Woman Rep Florence Kajuju.

At the same time, the senator said he was in the process of convincing aspirants in the county to join Jubilee, saying: “what we are assuring them is that the nomination process will be free and fair.”

Mr Munya defending his decision, however, said: “I have decided to join PNU because there is no other party that has surpassed its development record.”

He said although he supports the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2017, his Jubilee coalition has not done as much as retired President Mwai Kibaki’s PNU did.

Speaking at Kabirui-ni PCEA in Mathira on Sunday, the governor said he was ready to work with PNU and seek the presidency in 2022 on the party’s ticket.