When I decided to contest for an electoral post, I could have been lazy and joined some of the existing parties or coalitions.
I could easily have joined the Kenya Kwanza Coalition or the Azimio Alliance. Indeed, senior members of these two formations reached out to me asking me to join their parties and be their point man in Mwisho wa Lami and beyond. Some great promises were made to me, since they knew that my influence goes beyond Mwisho wa Lami.
If you are new in Damascus, let me let you know that I am a very influential teacher across the country. Teachers listen to me and seek political direction from me since they trust my word on key matters.
For some time, we shared this influence with the former Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion. But given his recent staged defeat in nominations, I am the only person remaining who can influence the entire teaching fraternity in Kenya.
Rather than join any party, I went ahead to form my own coalition. After considering many names, intense soul-searching, market insights research, I settled on Green Suit Alliance Coalition, a party that is different from other political formations in Kenya that are only out to take advantage of the wananchi while enriching the party owners.
While the leadership structure of the party is still being created, I can confirm here that Rumona is the secretary-general, Tito is the national treasurer while Nyayo serves as director of elections. I am the party leader and the sole spokesperson of the party. Our party symbol is a green Kaunda suit while our slogan is simple: Tried, Tested and Trusted.
To entice me to join them, and bring along all teachers, one coalition promised to make me a nominated MP, while another promised me 0.0001 per cent of the next government, whatever that meant. I flatly refused, saying that we can only enter coalitions after elections, after which I will show everyone what a big party Green Suit Alliance is.
Many laughed at me, wondering why I was starting a new party when there were many that I could join. These people did not know me: Dre never follows crowds blindly, nor does he choose the easy path.
Ironically, some of the people who were laughing at me have been calling me incessantly, asking for tickets to vie through our party. As you know, several parties have held party nominations over the last few days. Having observed a few, I can report that what I saw were not mini-elections, but nominations. Chosen candidates were nominated by the party bigwigs, followed by a nomination whose results were already decided in advance.
As such, many popular candidates were floored while unpopular candidates won with landslides. Many of those who were rigged out have been reaching out to me, asking that my party sponsors them to various seats. As a party that has proper structures in place, not a one-man-show like many other parties, I called the party’s National Executive Committee for a special meeting last Tuesday.
While Rumona, the secretary-general, said that we needed to vet all those who wanted to join, Tito, the treasurer, reminded her that the party coffers were empty.
“We should give anyone who wants a ticket, as long as they pay,” he said. “I see no harm.”
Nyayo supported him. “This is a windfall that we must take advantage of when the opportunity still exists. If we delay, someone else will take advantage.”
The deliberations went on and on, and in the end, the NEC of The Green Suit Alliance Coalition resolved to offer direct tickets to applicants for different seats. We agreed on the nomination fees: Sh5,000 for MCA, Sh10,000 for MP; Sh15,000 for woman rep or senator, and Sh20,000 for governor.
In the spirit of transparency and accountability, we resolved that where there was more than one candidate applying for the same seat, we will give the ticket to the highest bidder. We do not want to cheat anyone that there will be free and fair nominations, or even nominations at all.
This offer is open to everyone, particularly those rigged in party nominations: From Mombasa to Moyale, Busia to Baringo. As for the presidential candidates, until our NDC, we haven’t settled on any, and you will be free to support whomever you want.
No one had paid by yesterday. I, however, have no doubt that by the end of this coming week, some candidates will have paid.
But even as we wait for candidates to pay, it looks like I may need to make changes to our party leadership. I have every reason to believe that Tito, the treasurer, is a mole within our party. This is after he asked for my Sh10,000 to be cleared to run as an MP.
It looks like Tito does not know who a party leader is. There are less than 20 in Kenya, and I am one of them. I am not convinced that any party leader in Kenya has paid any money to contest for any position that they are contesting. How do you own a party then be asked to pay money? How do you pay yourself?
