Doubts over PNU dissolution even after officials show up at event

The Party of National Unity (PNU) and The Independent Party (TIP) officials failed to introduce delegates who reportedly dissolved the parties to join the Jubilee Party (JP).

At yesterday’s Jubilee convention, TNA chairman Johnson Sakaja asked chairpersons of parties that had been dissolved on Thursday to form JP to introduce delegates of their respective parties. But when PNU chairman John Kamama stood, he told the 10,000 delegates that he had consulted former President Kibaki over the decision to dissolve.

“We are in Jubilee as a party. Do not be deceived. We formed PNU to unite Kenyans and there can be no better vehicle to unite them than Jubilee. I have consulted former President Kibaki and he agrees that we have taken a much better route,” Kamama said. He, however, did not introduce the party’s delegates.

The party did not hold its National Delegate's Conference on Thursday, but Kamama claimed it had been held yesterday morning at Kasarani, a claim disputed by officials in the party secretariat. They said he should have sent out a notice for the meeting six weeks earlier.

Officials within PNU have openly differed over the merger, and there are still matters pending in court. Differences between officials of the party have seen Kamama and Secretary General John Anunda lock horns.

Media reports indicate Secretary General John Anunda issued a notice calling off the party’s NDC earlier scheduled for yesterday and moved it to October 28, 2016. Anunda is said to have attributed the cancellation to matters that are still pending before the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal.

A section of party leaders led by Ndiritu Muriithi and newcomers like Meru Governor Peter Munya have insisted that PNU has not merged and will not merge into Jubilee.

Conmanship

Mureithi accuses Kamama of engaging in “political conmanship’’, saying the official intended to ‘auction the party’.

He also blamed Kamama for filing a petition with the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal, forcing the postponement of the party’s NDC, where deliberations on whether PNU should join the Jubilee Party or not would have been held.

“If he(Kamama) really wanted the party to merge with other Jubilee-friendly parties, why did he file the petition in the first place?” Mureithi posed.

The former legislator also queried the motive behind Jubilee Party Steering co-chairmen Kiraitu Murungi and former Cabinet minister Noah Wekesa’s insistence that PNU would dissolve and merge with other parties.

The former Laikipia West MP also faulted the party chairman for claiming that he (Nderitu) and party leader and former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni were not delegates. Article Six of the party’s rules on holding NDC’s provides that an ordinary session of such a meeting be held at least once every three years.

Differences have also emerged on just who is the party’s leader, with Kamama maintaining the position was still held by former president Mwai Kibaki.

On the other hand, Kalembe Ndile of TIP used his oratorical charm to wow the audience instead of introducing his delegates who decided to dissolve the party.

He mocked CORD leader Raila Odinga and vowed to give him sleepless nights in the coming days as the foremost Jubilee foot-soldier.

“Do not even bother to respond to them the next time they insult you. You will only need to dispatch us into action,” Ndile said.