Over 500 URP delegates in Bomet County have ditched the party in favour of Governor Isaac Ruto’s Chama Cha Mashinani party.
The
move comes at a time when various parties within the Jubilee coalition
are expected to dissolve by Thursday and form Jubilee Party.
Already
in Kisii, a section of Ford People leadership has gone to court to
cancel the planned dissolution of their party ahead of the Friday
merger.
In Bomet, the URP delegates said they were
unhappy with what they termed as the ‘hand-picking of delegates to
attend the planned party dissolution.
“As bona fide
delegates elected from the grass roots, we are dismayed at the turn of
events that saw us locked out of the URP national delegates’ meeting,”
said Mr Nicholas Kirui who led the delegates.
He
accused the URP local branch and members of the National Assembly from
the county of ignoring the laid down procedures of selecting the
representatives to the conference saying the move was motivated by
selfish interests.
“What happened to the laid down
procedures in the party constitution regarding individuals who should
attend the National Delegates Conference. This could be a message that
we are unwanted in the party anymore and we have decided to chat our own
political path from today,” said Kirui.
While
decamping, the delegates vowed to start popularising CCM saying it was
an ideal party and that should be embraced nationally.
They
also vowed to back Governor Ruto’s re-election in 2017 and warned
Jubilee leaders against planting preferred candidates for the people of
Bomet.
“We are now embarking on building it into a
formidable party that will win the election and champion the interest of
the common mwananchi now and in the future,” Ms Nancy Malel said while
reading their resolution.
Mr Ruto on his part announced
that they will be holding a similar delegates conference for his CCM in
Bomet County as the Jubilee carry out theirs in Nairobi.
A
row has been brewing in the County over the selection of URP delegates
to represent the region during the party’s delegate’s conference
scheduled for Thursday.
Officials from the region are said to have differed on who should be on the list.
According
to the branch executive officer Mr Jonathan Langat, five of the
officials had been replaced since they had been engaged as public
servants with the county administration.
In Kisii a
section of Ford People leaders have broken ranks with the party chair
Albert Nyaundi and went to court to stop the party’s dissolution.
Led
by a party official Jerry Kenyansa, they said there had been no wide
consultations within the party ranks before the move was taken.
Meanwhile
South Mugirango MP Manson Nyamweya has criticized the planned
dissolution of parties saying it is a step back in the country’s
democratic gains.
“It is risk and bound to take us to
era of dictatorship. Kenya needs more parties to put the government of
the day on toes,” he told the Nation on Friday.
He said there is growing corruption in the Government and called for accountability.
(Additional Reporting by Magati Obebo)
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