PNU brigade takes on Ruto party in Mt Kenya as old rivalry returns

PNU members during a past meeting in Nyeri Town [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

In 2016, Deputy President William Ruto unsuccessfully tried to dissolve the Party of National Unity (PNU), which was former President Mwai Kibaki’s re-election vehicle.

Today, PNU is gradually emerging as a bulwark against Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), especially in Central Kenya. For the third time in as many years, PNU is digging in for a duel with its pesky opponent.

When PNU was founded in 2007 as re-election vehicle for Kibaki’s second term, Ruto was a member of the ODM Pentagon. The ODM brigade dismissed PNU as a Nyeri-based village outfit. The Deputy President gave the party a moniker and acronym for “Pitia Nyeri Uone” just like he has now labelled parties like the newly formed DAP-K as “chama ndogo ya kabila fulani.”

In 2007, Kibaki was re-elected on a PNU ticket and in the subsequent Grand Coalition Government, Ruto was appointed Agriculture minister then minister for Higher Education.

Fast forward to 2016 and PNU had again to fight a fierce battle against a Jubilee scheme to compel all affiliate parties to dissolve ahead of 2017 elections, when President Uhuru Kenyatta was seeking a second term.

Through a process chaperoned by Ruto, many parties folded up in a hurry and joined Jubilee, but PNU leaders led by now Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, rejected the move.

At the time, Muriithi questioned why Ruto was in a hurry to have PNU forgotten and with it Kibaki’s legacy. “They started by killing the National Social and Economic Council that advised government on economic recovery and inclusive growth. If we allowed them to kill PNU, who will be left as custodian and guardian of Vision 2030 blue print?” Muriithi posed then.

PNU and its headquarters offices along Musa Gitau Road in Lavington, survived and even fielded candidates.

In strange twist of fate, Muriithi and Ruto are in a third round duel, this time in the scramble for Mt Kenya vote. The stakes just went higher following appointment of Muriithi to chair the presidential campaign Secretariat of ODM leader Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja movement.

PNU is now fast packaging itself as the face of Azimio La Umoja alliance in Central, going by the rising numbers of aspirants for governor, MP and senator seeking its ticket.

Azimio la Umoja has zoned the country to allow affiliate parties field candidates in regions they are popular, while conducting joint primaries in cosmopolitan areas. In contrast, Ruto’s UDA is seeking to solely field candidates in Mt Kenya, Rift Valley and areas where it deems there is no need for coalition partnership.

That stance has been blamed for the chilled relationship between Ruto and his now silent allies such as TSP leader Mwangi Kiunjuri and Chama Cha Kazi’s Moses Kuria. Former Kibaki-era technocrats, serving civil servants are set to resign next month and launch political careers and PNU could offer a new home.

Dr Cyrus Njiru, the former Kibaki PS for Transport and Communications announced he was seeking the PNU ticket for Embu governor race. Former Mwea MP Peter Njuguna has also announced his bid to fly PNU flag in race for Kirinyaga governor. Former Family Bank CEO Peter Munyiri, was also shortlisted as PNU candidate for Nyeri governor’s race.

PNU has also formally signed an MoU to jointly promote Azimio la Umoja agenda, which has support of Nyandarua, Kiambu, Laikipia and Nakuru governors.

PNU Organising Secretary John Kamama said more regional aspirants’ meetings are lined up for Coast region. Party officials also said the return of PNU to Mt Kenya politics and the prominent role in Azimio La Umoja movement has raised demand for the party’s ticket. Supremacy battles between loyalists of Agriculture CS Peter Munya and those of Governor Miriithi have also intensified.

In a NEC meeting held on Tuesday, PNU resolved to activate the Party Election Board (PEB) to take charge of primaries management and ensure credibility, legality and fairness of candidate recruitment.