You’re not PNU leader, officials tell CS Munya
By Irene.Githinji, March 2, 2022A section of Party of National Unity (PNU) members yesterdau accused Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya of “masquerading” as its leader.
The officials, led by Deputy Organising Secretary Thomas Kariuki, said Munya was hijacking the party although he is not even an official. They said the closest PNU has to a party leader is retired President Mwai Kibaki, a position that has never been filled.
“The party’s objectives can be frustrated unless certain things are resolved. A Cabinet Secretary has no role in running a party and it is wrong for such to carry out party functions,” said Kariuki, flanked by other officials. This was on the sidelines of a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the party’s headquarters.
He said many aspirants have been confused by what has recently been happening in the party.
The officials said there has been external interference with party affairs, including new nomination rules that can be used against some aspirants.
“We just want to come out candidly and say that we do not have a party leader. If you go to the Registrar of Political Parties, you will see that the highest office held in this party is that of the Chairman,” he explained.
According to the officials, the party is yet to have a National Delegates Conference (NDC), adding that the matter is in court and a ruling could be made by the end of the week.
Owing to party differences, a National Executive Committee was called yesterday to iron out various issues. It was a follow up to the purported NDC meeting of February 24.
In a statement read by Deputy Secretary General Kevin Kariuki, Munya allegedly hijacked a special delegates conference whose only agenda was to ratify PNU’s entry into Azimio coalition. They accused Munya of locking out delegates from Laikipia, Murang’a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Nakuru, Machakos, Nairobi, Nyamira, Bomet and other regions.
He said there have been issues within the party and by the time of NDC we had already gone to court to question different things regarding meeting
However, the meeting was held and some members believe that it was held irregularly and even certain decisions taken there had not emanated from the NEC as required.
“PNU held a special delegates conference whose only agenda was one- to ratify that PNU joins the Azimio coalition. However the meeting was hijacked by one Munya who is not an official of PNU by operation of the law, which clearly states that a cabinet secretary cannot be an official of a political party,” said the Deputy Secretary General, Kevin Kariuki, who read a statement.
“Munya violated the law on that day by purporting to dictate the agenda and proceedings to an extent of even attempting to remove certain officials.
They accused of Munya discriminating against delegates from Mt. Kenya West counties by instructing his security officers, a clear abuse of office, to only allow delegates from Meru.
According to them, the CS locked out delegates from Laikipia, Murang’a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Nakuru, Machakos, Nairobi, Nyamira and Bomet among other delegates.
“The said hall where the NDC took place has a capacity of only 1,000 people further violating the PNU Constitution which sets the membership of an NDC at around 7,000 people,” said Kariuki.
They also said the NDC further purported to appoint an elections board in clear violation of the PNU Constitution which means it is illegal, null and void.
Kariuki said PNU will have a proper NDC with proper delegates from all 47 counties, which will decide who will be the party leader.
“When we had an NDC in 2019, we left that position vacant and that is how it is. We have started having hemorrhage, members are leaving after that incident because they feel discriminated against. The message should go out that PNU is just as the name is and we cannot divide by regions or clans or anything else,” insisted Kariuki.