Independence party Kanu, led by former Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, has declared its unequivocal support for Azimio la Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga’s calls for ‘mass action’ on Monday next Week.
The party which seemed to have taken a backseat yesterday announced that it will take part in the mass protests aimed at piling pressure on President William Ruto to lower high cost of living, open 2022 presidential election servers and halt the ongoing reconstitution of the electoral agency.
“We support mass action calls because that’s the position of our coalition and we are members of the Azimio coalition. We want to state here that we shall take part in the planned mass action on Monday,” Kanu Secretary General George Wainaina told Journalists yesterday.
He was speaking at a Nairobi Hotel after presiding over a national officials’ meeting flanked by Kanu 1st vice chairman Ibrahim Sheikh and National Youth Congress Secretary Atieno Ogolla among other officials.
Mr Wainaina said that Kanu being a constituent party of One Kenya Alliance (OKA) led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, it remains fully committed to the alliances’ plans within Azimio outfit.
“Kanu is a coalition member of OKA led by Kalonzo Musyoka and we are within the Azimio coalition. Anytime Kalonzo Musyoka is seen out there attending Azimio rallies, Kanu is fully represented and our chairman is alive to this fact,” the official said.
Mr Sheikh said the party now has new officials and they are ready for rejuvenation and steering it to prosperity.
“This is a national party. Indeed, the mother of all politicians in this party including the president who was once a member of this party and even Baba (Mr Odinga) who was also a secretary general of this party.”
“We want to assure you the party is alive and we have new officials ready to steer it to prosperity beginning with the mass recruitment exercise set to begin soon,” he said.
Ms Ogolla said the party offers opportunity for all including the youth to take part in its decision making processes.
“We shall continue building this party by putting in place measures to ensure we gain more members especially the youth to give it fresh impetus,” she said.
Mr Wainaina accused the ruling party – United Democratic Alliance (UDA) of stifling multiparty democracy by compelling other parties to fold and join it.
“There is an emerging pattern of defections that speaks to a concerted effort by a certain axis to stifle multiparty democracy after previous desperate attempts at engineering and superintending hostile takeovers of political parties failed before they could even take off,” the Kanu official said.
He went on: “The culmination of this circus was yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) presser by a section of individuals in red shades of Kanu colours under the patronage of Mr Nick Salat claiming to have defected.”
He faulted Mr Salat over what he termed as “daily defection” from the party, arguing that he has since defected three times to UDA.
“…and by the time of his latest, and probably, not the last defection stints, he had already been kicked out of the leadership position as Secretary General and as a member.”
Mr Sheikh advised officials of UDA to find a job for Mr Salat instead of subjecting him to endless defection exercises.
“Our brothers in UDA should save our former secretary general from this drama of defecting every day. Please give him something, we know why he went there,” said Mr Sheikh.
“As a responsible party, we strongly believe in the importance of political parties in ensuring that democracy thrives in Kenya. We believe that political parties provide the needs and aspirations of the people,” said Kanu Secretary General.
Kanu, he said, remains committed and steadfast to promoting democracy, national unity, and social justice, “and we are confident that by working together, we can build a better future for all Kenyans.”
