Kanu to begin revamping, recruiting next month

Kanu will next month begin a vigorous national voter registration campaign in a bid to revamp the party ahead of the 2022 general election.

Party chairman Gideon Moi will kick off the exercise in Mombasa, according to the party’s director of organization Job Waka.

He spoke during a one-day Kanu county branch retreat at PrideInn Flamingo Beach Resort- Hotel in Mombasa county. It was organised by the Oslo Centre.

Kanu is in the process of restructuring its constitution as it ponders on whether it will go it alone in the August 2022 polls or  form a coalition with other like-minded parties.

“Kanu has been in the political scene for longer than any other party and it is time we take it back to where it was,” Waka said.

Already, Kanu has a deal in place with Jubilee.The post-election coalition pact was signed in May last year.

Kanu is also part of the One Kenya Alliance that brings together ANC, Ford Kenya and Wiper, parties that formed the Nasa coalition.

The latter three parties want to quit Nasa, which they now say has become an abusive marriage.

Kanu plans a series of activities meant to popularise it. This comes as President Uhuru is pushing to have Nasa re-invigorated.

He is said to believe the National Super Alliance will be the best chance to vanquish UDA linked to Deputy President William Ruto.

Ruto has mounted an aggressive campaign that has been enjoying increasingly massive following across the country, giving ODM jitters.

On Saturday, UDA leaders in Mombasa criticised President Kenyatta's push to have the opposition unite.

Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar said it is unheard of to have an outgoing president push the opposition to unite against his own deputy.

“Where on earth have you seen an outgoing president using the opposition to fight his own deputy? That is madness,” Omar said.

He said the move is informed by the fear UDA will take over the leadership of the country in 2022 and reverse the unfair gains of powerful individuals and families connected to the government.

“They used their positions to take over every sector of the economy.Now they want to cling onto the sectors to continue hurting the poor,” Omar said.

On Friday, Waka said the party is targeting young and vibrant youth who have shown immense leadership skills and will to take the country to the next level.

He said after restructuring the party constitution, the party will  work on creating strong county teams that will lead party activities to shake every corner of the country.

“We will come up with our manifesto that will then direct us on whether we will field a presidential flag bearer or not,” Waka said.

He defended the party’s newly constituted branches’ interim officials countrywide, describing the move as a bold step.

However, he had a word of caution to party members. “We will not entertain jokers. Only serious aspirants who want to vie for elective positions through the party will be considered,” he said

He said the party’s powers of nominations will be vested at the sub branches, then the county branches level from where endorsements for nominations will be accepted.

Kanu Mombasa county chairperson Rukia Rashid said despite the county being ODM’s stronghold they conducted a massive  recruitment drive. She said 6,000 residents have joined.

She rejected claims the party is a passing cloud.

“We have plans to have monthly party activities to keep the party alive and kicking,” she said.

Party county secretary Bisher Yahya Bisher asked the national office to expedite its move to reclaim allegedly grabbed county office in Mvita subcounty. 

(Edited by V. Graham)