After skipping NASA launch, KANU now declares support for Uhuru's re-election bid
KANU's Salat skipped yesterday's NASA Coalition launch, despite holding earlier meetings in unison.
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Speaking after the party’s National Executive Council Thursday meeting held at Lake Nakuru Lodge in NASA ground Nakuru County, Salat has said that the party is not part of the one-day old coalition, bringing to an end the anxiety that marred yesterday’s Okoa Kenya Secretariat meeting.
"It has been agreed that Kanu will support Uhuru in the polls. This follows a very wide consultation," Salat told journalists.
Critics argue that President Uhuru’s last week visit to the party pioneer Daniel Moi in Kabarnet Gardens in Nairobi is suspected to have tilted the can of votes from NASA’s pocket and is now destined for Jubilee.
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"Paid a courtesy call on Former President Daniel Arap Moi," Uhuru said last week on his twitter account.
While details of last week’s meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and former president Daniel Moi remain scanty, the meeting is suspected to have had a hand in the new turnaround by the party.
KANU in the recent past has criticised the ruling party, Jubilee, with its Secretary General Nick Salat in most cases seen to represent the party in opposition’s meetings.
NASA launch
During the NASA launch meeting earlier in January at the Bomas of Kenya, Salat trashed possibilities of joining the ruling party.
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In what seemed a disjointed communication from the party, senior KANU leaders led by West Pokot County Senator John Lonyangapuo and nominated senator Zipporah Kittony distanced the party from the remarks and termed Salat’s “sentiments as his own and not the party’s”.
Last month, Mama Ngina Kenyatta, Uhuru's mother, visited Moi at his Kabarak home in Nakuru. The leaked photos of the meeting sparked debate on what the former First Lady was up to ahead of the general election.
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Mama Ngina said that she visited Moi to check up on a friend and Moi asked her to visit again in the near future.
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The visit sent political tongues wagging with many speculating that the meeting was strategically meant to ensure their sons, President Kenyatta and Gideon Moi work together ahead of the August polls.
Gideon Moi has been at loggerheads with Deputy President William Ruto as they tussle over political supremacy in Rift Valley.
Part of the deal to ensure President Kenyatta and Moi work together was that the Jubilee Party should not front a Senatorial candidate in Baringo County even though DP Ruto is already keen on having someone from his party take over that particular seat.
Last month, KANU announced a plan to field a presidential candidate during the August general elections, among other political seats.
In an advert that appeared on the dailies on Monday 30th 2017, KANU said it will field candidates for all six elective posts in the August polls including the president’s.
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“We invite eligible Kenyans, who subscribe to the ideals, vision, mission, objectives and core values of the party to present their expression of interests in confidence to the KANU National Election Board,” reads the advert created by KANU’s Election Board Chairman Eddie Kivuvani.
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