Cracks in Kenya Kwanza as Kiunjuri rubbishes six-piece voting
Cracks have emerged among Deputy President William Ruto’s supporters in Central Kenya, with Mwangi Kiunjuri, a seasoned politician, dismissing a call for voters to elect the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidates in a six-piece format.
Six-piece voting implies that voters should vote for Members of County Assembly (MCA), MPs, Senators, Governors and William Ruto, who is the UDA party leader, as President.
But Kiunjuri, a former agriculture minister and The Service Party (TSP) boss, has dismissed the six-piece option even though he supports a Ruto presidency under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
Speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi, after attending a Gubernatorial and parliamentary meeting convened to lay down the party campaign strategies, Kiunjuri urged Kenyans ‘to elect leaders and not parties’.
“Everybody has a right to their opinion but, but unless the statement comes from the Deputy President himself we will take them head on,” warned Kiunjuri.
“We are aware and acknowledge that we are in competition not only with our sisters and brothers in Kenya Kwanza Alliance but with all other aspirants seeking the same seats as we are. A vibrant democracy is enriched by intra competition within the Kenya Kwanza Alliance and the rest of the competitors particularly in this election.”
The comments come few days after the DP’s allies vouched for a six piece voting within UDA in the Rift Valley.
Specifically, Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen suggested that anyone elected to Parliament as an independent lawmaker does not possess adequate powers to help pass critical policies.
“Bottom-Up policy will be passed by MPs from UDA,” said Murkomen.
“You can say you want to elect an independent candidate but when it comes to voting they will not be in a position to elect leaders in Parliament, the Majority Leader, and Majority Whip, these are leaders elected by party members. Even if you don’t like someone nominated by the party, you will be doing zero work when you say you vote for Ruto but you don’t give him powers to pass Bills in Parliament.”
Ruto and his running mate Rigathi Gachagua, while on a tour of Central last week, also rallied voters to only elect UDA candidates.
Kiunjuri says despite the alliance setting up a special team to campaign for the Kenya Kwanza Alliance presidential candidature they resolved to complement the on-efforts of rolling out a 30-day campaign program across the country in support of William Ruto.