2002 Elections
Nyachae Keeps Mum Over Presidential Ticket
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 22 July 2007 22:06
The party's national chairman, Mr Kimani wa Nyoike, said news of his election had reached Mr Nyachae through the Press, supporters and aides. The controversial MP's son, Mr Charles Nyachae, attended the Ford-P national delegates' conference at the Limuru Conference Centre on Friday, during which Mr Nyachae was picked.
If Mr Nyachae accepts the new position and defects to Ford-P, he would have to resign his Nyaribari Chache seat and renew his mandate on the new party's ticket.
Most of Mr Nyachae's supporters, including 10 sitting MPs from the three Kisii districts of Kisii, Nyamira and Gucha, are expected to defend their seats on Ford-P tickets in next year's elections.
The Kanu field in Kisiiland is likely to be led by the Health Minister, Prof Sam Ongeri, Finance Minister Chris Obure and Assistant Minister Joseph Kiangoi.
Yesterday, Mr Wa Nyoike said: "I have been unable to reach Mr Nyachae so far. But I am not worried about what his response will be to the delegates' decision to elect him in absentia."
Asked why he thought Mr Nyachae was keeping his supporters in the dark over the honour bestowed upon him by the 1,600 delegates, the Ford-P boss said he couldn't speculate and referred the question to Mr Nyachae himself.
The one-day conference endorsed the party's new constitution which creates the post of party leader, who will automatically be its presidential candidate.
An attempt by a delegate to propose that the leader must first defect before being endorsed was brushed aside while a move by another delegate to propose a challenger to Mr Nyachae was nipped in the bud.
The conference was attended by four rebel Kanu MPs and three others from the opposition. The younger Nyachae said he attended the conference as an observer "and friend of the party."
The MPs were Kanu's Kipkalya Kones, Anthony Kimetto, Jimmy Angwenyi and Zebedeo Opore, Ford-Kenya's Henry Obwocha and Omingo Magara and Mr Waithaka Mwangi of Ford-People. The other two Ford-P MPs, Mr John Michuki and Mr Maina Njakwe, did not attend.
Yesterday, Mr Wa Nyoike said: "I cannot react on behalf of Mr Nyachae. But as far as we are concerned, the National Delegates Conference finished its work on Friday and the ball is now in his court."
Earlier, one of Mr Nyachae's aides, Dr Fred Matiang'i, said: "Mzee is not available now. Try to get him on Tuesday when he might address the Press on the issue."
Meanwhile, two Cabinet Ministers on Friday launched an offensive against Mr Nyachae. Prof Ongeri and his Rural Development counterpart, Mr Cyrus Jirongo, advised the Kisii community not to support his presidential bid on a Ford-P ticket, terming it doomed.
They invited Mr Nyachae to abandon his presidential ambitions and lead other rebel Kanu MPs in seeking reconciliation with President Moi.
The two were speaking at a harambee for Mesabisabi Secondary School in Prof Ongeri's Nyaribari Masaba constituency on Friday. The meeting raised Sh 634,000.
Mr Jirongo, the Lugari MP, who a year ago teamed up with Mr Nyachae, Mr Kones, and MPs Kipruto Kirwa and Jimmy Angwenyi in rebellion against their party, said the President's succession scheme was too complex for the Kanu rebels to match.
