Nairobi News

Mount Kenya Unity Forum has abandoned unity talks among several Central Kenyan leaders and instead opted to head to the August 2022 polls individually.

This even as The Service Party (TSP) leader Mwangi Kiunjuri dismissed talk of teaming up with the Raila Odinga led Azimio la Umoja coalition but appeared to leave the door open for an alliance with Deputy President William Ruto.

Kiunjuri explained the forum partners namely Narc Kenya Leader Martha Karua, Chama Cha Kazi’s Moses Kuria and National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi of The Democratic Party had taken a break to prep their parties ahead of the polls.

This move appears a break from the team’s main agenda to chart the region’s political future with the elections in mind.

“For the next one month or so, we must make sure that we have our aspirants and ensure compliance with the Registrar of Political Parties as well as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC),”said Mr Kiunjuri.

“This is the time parties are very busy registering aspirants across the country. And what is there for us now is to hold our individual campaigns for our parties. We have agreed as a forum that we shall work in harmony.

The former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary said they have agreed on a post-election working agreement which will bring together MPs from the various Mt Kenya parties.

“Whichever number of seats that we shall get, we bring together those and we shall be able to articulate issues of Mt Kenya region and also our nation. That’s already agreed and it’s a major milestone,” he said.

Kiunjuri dismissed claims by Jubilee Vice Chairman David Murathe that TSP has joined Azimio la Umoja.

“We are disturbed that some people have released statements on behalf of TSP suggesting we are in talks or have joined Azimio, I want to make it very clear that we’ve never had talks with Azimio or any of their leader, we’ve never opened that chat with them and we are not ready in opening any conversation with any party for now,” Mr Kiunjuri said.

The Laikipia West Parliamentary aspirant said they are in talks with United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party in a bid to join the Kenya Kwanza coalition formed by the Deputy President William Ruto party, Musalia Mudavadi’s, Amani National Congress and Ford Kenya led by Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula.

“You already know who my friend is but we’ve never had any serious discussion with him, I have not discussed anything with UDA on the way forward and we said clearly that this kind of discussion will only ensure if we respect each other, that anyone who wants to discuss with TSP must acknowledge that our party is a strong party if there is no respect to each part TSP is ready to go independent,” He said.

The party has nearly 70 aspirants for the Member of County Assembly.