Pro-Uhuru parties open offices in central Kenya

Meru Governor Peter Munya opens a PNU office in Kenol in Murang’a County on January 5, 2017. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The Party of National Unity, Democratic Party and Maendeleo Chap Chap have opened offices in several towns ahead of the August elections.
  • Meru Governor Peter Munya on Thursday opened a PNU office in Murang’a County and will be in Nyeri on Friday to open another.

Political parties supporting President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election are opening offices in central Kenya, expecting to reap from the anticipated falling-out in Jubilee during its primaries.

The Party of National Unity, Democratic Party and Maendeleo Chap Chap have already opened offices in several towns ahead of the August elections.

Meru Governor Peter Munya on Thursday opened a PNU office in Murang’a County and will be in Nyeri on Friday to open another.

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap is temporarily operating from Kiawara Town in Kieni, Nyeri County, before moving to Nyeri Town next week.

Dr Mutua will be in the county next week to market Maendeleo Chap Chap, said a party official who wanted to remain anonymous because he was not authorised to speak to the press.

Mr Munya insisted that PNU was not pegging its growth on wrangles in Jubilee but said any Kenyan was free to join it.

“Our intention is not to reap from others’ problems. PNU is not a hyena that looks for something dying to eat. We command respect,” the Meru County boss said.

FAIR PNU NOMINATIONS

He spoke after a closed-door meeting with aspirants from Murang’a County, assuring them of peaceful and fair PNU nominations.

Nyeri PNU secretary Mbaka Kiama said the party leader would open an office and launch a membership drive in the county on Friday.

Mr Kiama said the party would field candidates for all elective seats in the region.

He said that already two woman representative aspirants had approached him expressing interest in being nominated. The county PNU secretary added that the party is an alternative political vehicle in the region.

“Democracy is about competition and we will not allow Jubilee to block that. We will have candidates in the eight counties of this region and beyond,” he added.

The Democratic Party (DP) also says it will field candidates for all elective seats across the country. 

“Democracy must be protected. We are not competing with the President, but with his party in mobilising Kenyans to turn out and vote for him.

"Parties that merged were formed recently but DP is 25 years old,” party chairman Esau Kioni said when he opened an office in Nyeri Town.

Additional reporting by Grace Gitau.