More than 14 political parties will support Pesident Kibaki’s campaign for another term at State House, a Cabinet Minister says.

Planning and National Development minister Henry Obwocha said negotiations were at an advanced stage and soon the President will announce the party that he will use in his re-election bid.

Mr Obwocha, a member of Ford People, said his party had accepted to work under a coalition that supports the President.

“Negotiations are at an advanced stage and in the course of August, the name of the party President Kibaki will use for his re-election will be known,” he said.

However, he said the priority was neither Narc since its chairman, Mrs Charity Ngilu, had proved difficult, nor Narc Kenya, whose leadership structure, he said, was unacceptable to Ford-P.

Mr Obwocha said Ford-P was being represented in the negotiations by Kitutu Chache MP Jimmy Angwenyi.

Wasted years

He was speaking at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Nyamira, during a funds drive in aid of a primary boarding school sponsored by the church on Sunday.

There was a light moment when hopefuls eyeing Mr Obwocha’s seat asked him to retire from politics after representing the constituency for three consecutive terms.

But the minister said his constituents were likely to benefit if they gave him another term because he was now in the Government, arguing that his two terms in the opposition were wasted.

In Mombasa, Embakasi MP David Mwenje yesterday demanded to be given a position in the Narc-Kenya party leadership, failing which he would take some unspecified action.

The MP claimed that he had been promised a position in the party by Vice-President Moody Awori, but “other people were appointed and my name was not among them.

“I am surprised that the VP did not keep his word after raising my hopes so high. I want a position in the party otherwise I consider my stand in the party,” he said.