Munya, Muriithi in s*******y battle over PNU
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Peter Munya and Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, are locked in a supremacy battle for the control of the Party of National Unity (PNU), one of the outfits in the Azimio La Umoja.
A faction allied to Munya, who has been spearheading the Raila Odinga campaign in the Mt Kenya region, lifted the lid on the vicious supremacy battle, when it placed an advertisement in the local dailies yesterday, dismissing a previous one by a group allied to Muriithi announcing the recruitment of aspirants wishing to seek elective seats through the party.
The advertisement by the pro-Munya faction was signed by the party’s Secretary General John Okemwa, while the one by the rival faction was signed by the chairman, Eng David Kamau.
Show of disrespect Okemwa maintained that no such move had been sanctioned by the National Executive Council; the party’s top decision making organ went.
Muriithi’s position as the chairman of the Raila presidential campaign board puts him at the heart of the Azimio la Umoja activities, not only in the region but across the country.
Rattled, the pro-Muriithi faction led by Eng Kamau, convened a press conference at the party headquarters, where he told reporters that Okemwa’s move was misleading and a show of disrespect to the party leadership and its structures as well as its constitution.
“PNU wishes to make it clear that it has structures, rules and regulations and a working Constitution.
PNU is also subject to the laws of Kenya and respects all Kenyans, institutions and the government.
We urge you to ignore the misleading statements purporting to cancel the scheduled aspirants’ meetings that were advertised by the party on January 14,” Munya, Muriithi in supremacy battle over PNU A faction allied to the CS has placed an advert, dismissing a previous one by the governor-led group Kamau said.
He went ahead to describe Munya and Muriithi; who are key pillars in the emerging Azimio La Umoja coalition of parties, as “friends of PNU” who had seen the party “through thick and thin” but declined to comment on Okemwa’s statement.
Muriithi has declared that he will seek a re-election on a PNU ticket, while Munya who is being touted as Raila’s possible running mate has been keen to use the party to pursue his political ambitions.
The governor was also recently quoted saying that he was “on a countrywide tour to reinvent PNU, which he said is the vehicle that will make Kenya, a middle-income country by 2030”.
But Okemwa while training his guns on Muriithi said he was not even a member.
“The notice inviting aspirants to PNU party meetings on various dates was not sanctioned by the party leadership and is therefore null and void....
The Governor of Laikipia is not a member of PNU and therefore not mandated to speak on behalf of the party or represent the party in any meeting whatsoever,” Okemwa said.
