PHOTO/Kenya-today.com
The folding of the 11 parties to form the Jubilee Party headed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto was ill-advised.
A top Jubilee Party leader has admitted the party is facing challenges in retaining its members, as more politicians continue to exit, amid fears of unfair party nominations.
In the past two weeks, over 20 politicians have left Jubilee for rivals ODM and Maendeleo Chap Chap.
Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi who, alongside Noah Wekesa, chaired the Jubilee steering committee that oversaw the merger of 11 parties has said that the folding of the parties was regrettable and it has failed.
“The idea was and remains noble - to unite Kenyans into one political vehicle. But Kenyans are not ready for such a big party,” said Kiraitu as reported by the Standard.
He added, “We wanted to have one huge party that would bring Kenyans together; the President and deputy were committed because they felt that, that was the way to bring Kenyans together. Notably, Kenyans are not ready for such an eventuality.”
Kiraitu said that the practical part of the Jubilee merger has failed.
“Unlike what we anticipated, the reality seems to be different because Kenyans value their small parties,” he said. Another politician who has criticised the Jubilee merger is former Tip Tip Party Leader Kalembe Ndile.
Ndile said the merger did not add value, and that “it was a mistake to fold the small parties”.
The Jubilee party was officially launched on September 10, 2016 at the Kasarani sports center, Nairobi.
The parties that dissolved were: Uhuru’s The National Alliance (TNA), DP Ruto’s United Republican Party (URP), Kiraitu’s Alliance Party of Kenya (APK), the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP), United Democratic Forum (UDF), National Rainbow Coalition (Narc), Ford People, the Republican Congress Party (RC), Tip Tip, the United Party of Kenya (UPK), the Grand National Unity (GNU) and a faction of the Party of National Unity (PNU).