A fresh row has broken among Nakuru members of The National Alliance (TNA) party, barely a month after its national office brokered a power-sharing deal to end another impasse.
On Wednesday morning, some TNA adherents stormed the party offices in Milimani area of Nakuru town and demanded that party polls be held to replace the current branch officials.
The group, led by Naivasha-based politician Karimi Waiganjo, claimed that the current party leadership is inefficient and is doing little to the party that is a partner in the ruling Jubilee coalition.
Karimi and company accused that the party branch officials of poor leadership and inefficiency, which they claimed had thereby paralysed party activities.
He alleged that the current crop of leaders was improper because it had been “imposed on Nakuru leaders as the officials were handpicked by political godfathers whose interests they are serving”.
Karimi said the party needs strong leaders to counter the clamour for referendum being spearheaded by the Opposition.
Susan Wanjiku Machethe, a former nominated councilor for Nakuru municipality, said party members are suffering greatly as the party offices have been under lock and key for the last two months.
“We are surprised that when the party is supposed to be busy countering the referendum push, our officials are asleep and we cannot allow the president’s party to be run down,” she said.
Karimi said the party should call for branch elections to enable supporters elect new officials who are committed to ensuring the party fulfills its election pledges.
Wanjiku said the party’s national officials should stop interfering with branch affairs and imposing unpopular leaders.
The protestors found the offices locked and camped there for hours, chanting and waving slogans against the party branch officials.
Early this month, TNA secretary-general Onyango Oloo visited Nakuru to resolve leadership wrangles between the county TNA chairman and a faction led by one Harrison Muiruri.
After fiery disagreements, that ran to around dusk, a power-sharing formula was reached with Githaiga retained the chairmanship with Muiruri being appointed treasurer.