Few days ago, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the formation of a new political party named Jubilee Party. This was done at state house, a national office that was turned into the Headquarter of the newly formed party. This was not the first time the president was using this national office for private party business as when he received the instruments of the new party, it was still done at state house. It is for this reason I won’t be surprised if state house colors will change from the traditional white with red carpets to the new party colors.
In his maiden speech of the newly formed party, President Kenyatta was categorical that he wanted to leave a legacy in the corridors of political parties. But if we walk down the memory lane, we can all recall that bringing political parties together for one to ascend to power was not a first one by Uhuru for when the opposition wanted to end the KANU era, they ended up with NARC KENYA that did send retired president to state house. But this being Kenya, we all know what happened then with Kibaki ending up in PNU, which too invoked the unity thing while Raila ended up with ODM Kenya.
If NARC Kenya and PNU are anything to go by, political parties are merely formed to propel individuals to the presidency and nothing more. That is why the assertion that the merger of the 12 political parties under Jubilee coalition is an effort to achieve national unity is a fallacy that is far-fetched. You may not agree with me but when you take a closer analysis of the new party, you end up realizing that it’s not any different from Jubilee Coalition which is a house of two main tribes in the name of Kikuyus courtesy of TNA and Kalenjins through URP.
This is the same scenario in Jubilee party as the dominant communities remain Kikuyus and Kalenjins. If you still don’t believe me, then you are yet to understand that apart from TNA and URP, the rest of the parties are all but a one-man show. JAP which did send Waititu to Parliament is as good as being called Waititu for it died before even taking off. APK which belongs to Senator Kiraitu Murungi only got perceived following in the larger Meru region with TNA having made in-roads here. The departure of Mudavadi from UDF was the end of meaning it brings no regional block to Jubilee party save for its leader one Osman who isn’t even known in his village of origin.
The Party of National Unity (PNU) remains a Mount Kenya affair with some of its members having been painted with TNA colors. The New Ford-Kenya party, which for some reasons could not even wait for the owners of JAP to join before they dissolved, comprises of a few Bukusu leaders who are beneficiary of the ruling coalition and hence can’t be counted as bringing Luhyas on Board. FORD-K would have made same sense bearing in mind its more popular in Bungoma than the NFK. FORD People which is supposedly to bring Kisiis on board died when Nyachae exited the political scenes. In Mombasa, Republican council died before its take off, with TIP TIP being considered a village thing in Ukambani. The same can be said of GNU and UPK.
With this in mind, it’s quite evident that the new party still remains a two community affair with a few leaders drawn from across the country to join them. I know when the party officials will be eventually unveiled; we will have faces drawn from across comprising of political tumbocrat’s just to confuse the general masses.
For any nation to achieve national unity all that is needed is the equal distribution of national resources and in the Kenyan set-up, which comprises of 42 tribes, balance in public appointment is a key facet to this. The rest is pure malice to propel a few people to power.
