Gideon Moi-led Kanu party has no plans to withdraw from its coalition with Jubilee, Secretary-General Nick Salat has said.
Mr Salat said Kanu’s deal with the President Uhuru Kenyatta-led ruling party was ratified by its National Delegates Conference (NDC) and that any plan to exit must be endorsed by the same.
Mr Salat spoke just a day after members of One Kenya Alliance (OKA), which Kanu is a member, declared that the independence party must withdraw from its coalition with Jubilee before officially joining the alliance.
“You can’t actually be in two alliances at the same time under the law. That must be understood. So, Kanu will leave Jubilee and it will be announced officially,” said Wiper vice chairman Mutula Kilonzo Jnr, who read the statement on behalf of OKA principals.
He went on: “If we form One Kenya Alliance, the principals of the three parties must leave Nasa and Kanu must leave Jubilee. Every coalition including Jubilee coalition’s life ends with the next election.”
When reached for comment yesterday following reported claims of his party's break with Jubilee, Mr Moi seemed non-committal, only saying it was premature to discuss Kanu’s exit from the deal.
“That question right now is premature but there are ongoing discussions for the future,” he said.
But on Wednesday, Mr Salat told Nation.Africa that Kanu’s coalition with Jubilee runs until the end of term of the current parliament, adding there was no reason to terminate it midway.
“Right now we are all planning for 2022 and we should not be thinking otherwise. Furthermore, our deal with Jubilee runs until 2022 and we can only enter into other arrangements if it becomes necessary,” said Mr Salat.
“We will support the government because that was the arrangement that was made by NDC. We really follow and adhere to our structures,” he added.
According to Kenyan law, no party can belong to two or more coalitions.
This means that for Kanu to enter into another deal with OKA, it has to withdraw from the Jubilee coalition.
The same applies to Wiper, ANC and Ford Kenya which are still members of the Nasa coalition.
