The Amani National Congress (ANC) party has dismissed calls to fold up and join the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) outfit.

In a statement on Sunday, March 5, ANC party leader Issa Timamy termed the matter as a non-issue and called on the ruling party to concentrate on other pressing issues including the high cost of living and insecurity.

As a member of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance, the Lamu governor said, ANC will continue to exist as an independent party and support President William Ruto’s government to deliver its agenda to the people in line with an agreement signed before last year’s general election.

“We want to make it clear that Amani party is not going to fold. We are an independent party, we are part of the Kenya Kwanza coalition and most importantly as members of that coalition there was an agreement that was signed between the various parties which formed the Kenya Kwanza coalition and Amani party is a major stakeholder in the Kenya Kwanza coalition,” the county boss said.

“For the purpose of clarity, we support the Kenya Kwanza government. We also support President William Ruto but the issue of folding parties as a party we do not think that that is important at this stage. Kenya is facing very pressing issues including issues of security and the economy. We need to address these issues instead of concentrating on party issues.”

For avoidance of doubt, ANC Party is not merging neither today or in the future.

The Party will continue to play its role in the Kenya Kwanza Coalition particularly helping the President to deliver the coalition manifesto THE PLAN to Kenyans.

[Party Leader, H.E. Issa Timmamy] pic.twitter.com/KkSKkBXrH0

— ANC PARTY (@anc_party) March 5, 2023

Timamy’s remarks come hours after new UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala told politicians holding senior government positions in the Kenya Kwanza government to dissolve their parties and join the President’s party.

ANC was previously headed by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who relinquished the role to take up a Cabinet position in Ruto’s government after the coalition’s victory in the August polls.

Speaking in Ahero, Kisumu county, during a UDA party membership recruitment exercise on Saturday, Malala said Kenya Kwanza leaders who are still clinging to their parties to choose between being in government or holding on to their political outfits.

“You have no business being a Cabinet Secretary if you are still holding onto your party,” Malala said.

Some of the co-principals in the Kenya Kwanza Alliance who are yet to quit their party leadership positions include Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, who came to power following Ruto’s victory.