A political party linked to top leaders from the Kisii community has been unveiled as politicians rush against time to form parties ahead of the 2022 General Election.
The United Progressive Alliance is reportedly linked to prominent personalities from the community eyeing elective positions next year.
The launch comes barely three weeks after a section of MPs from the Kisii region announced plans to form an outfit to champion the interest of the community.
“It’s also a fulfilment of the promise that was echoed by several elected leaders and regional leaders who met a fortnight ago at Serena Hotel,” the party’s interim deputy leader Herbert Mwachiro said.
UPA is a rebrand of Party of Economic Development.
Mwachiro led other interim officials in unveiling the party at its Kazi House headquarters in Kileleshwa, Nairobi on Friday.
The officials include Tom Musamali (National Chairman), Martin Mutua (Vice chairman), John Obwocha (acting secretary-general), Josiah Omollo (deputy secretary-general) and James Nyang'au (Treasurer).
The party’s theme colours are red, white and green with a motorbike as its symbol. The party’s slogan is Kazi na Haki.
“Currently, our party headquarters is here in Nairobi and we have regional offices in 27 counties, including Nakuru, Kitale, Migori, Nyamira, Kajiado, Mombasa, Narok among others,” the acting deputy party boss said.
On Friday, Mwachiro neither confirmed nor denied reports that the party belongs to Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i.
“This is a Kenyan party. It’s an open party. If the CS feels he wants to join us, we welcome him. But at the moment, we know he is a civil servant,” he said.
Asked about whether the some MPs from Kisii would join and use the outfit as their vehicle for 2022, he said, “many leaders have expressed interest and we welcome all of them.”
He said the party leader would be unveiled during the national delegates conference that would be held in the coming weeks.
Late last month, MPs from Kisii and Nyamira counties disclosed their plans to unveil a regional party to advance the community's interest.
They included Ben Momanyi (Borabu), Sylvanus Osoro (South Mugirango), Jimmy Angwenyi (Kitutu Chache), Zadock Ogutu (Bomachoge) and Jerusha Momanyi (Nyamira woman representative).
Samuel Arama (Nakuru Town West), Ezekiel Machogu (Nyaribari Masaba), Alfa Miruka (Bomachoge Chache) and Shadrack Mose (Kitutu Masaba) also attended.
Others are Raila’s confidant Simba Arati (Dagoretti North), Joash Nyamoko (North Mugirango), Richard Onyonka (Kitutu Chache South), Vincent Kemosi (West Mugirango) and Innocent Obiri (Bobasi).
However, none of the MPs attended the event to unveil the party.
“If the existing political parties and if the current presidential candidates would not meet the aspirations of the Kisiis, we are also at liberty,” Momanyi had said.
“We have the energy, the power and capacity of also coming up with a party and drive it," he added.
On Friday, Mwachiro said the outfit is anchored on the ideology of participatory economic progressivism with social cohesion and co-operation as its cornerstone.
“Through our party, we aspire to achieve a normal distribution of the nation’s wealth, reduce income inequalities, protection of markets for the local producers and protection of workers' rights,” he said.
Mwachiro said the party will form an alliance with other like-minded outfits, adding that the party subscribes to the Handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM boss Raila Odinga.
“We intend to aggressively pursue this agenda till we reverse the systemic marginalisation of any communities and steady Kenya on the current highway of progressivism,” he said.
“We must say that through the Handshake, we have achieved phenomenal peace that has allowed us to navigate through troubles of Covid-19 but also importantly, live as one community that is Kenya,” he said.