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Kisii leaders yesterday launched a push for closer relations with the Narc government.

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Published on Saturday, 02 June 2007 07:06

Close to 1,000 leaders from Nyamira, Gucha and Kisii central asked Ford People leader Simeon Nyachae to stake the community's claim to its "rightful position in government". They were speaking at a rally held in a week of political shifts and changes, with Ford-Kenya appearing to forge closer relations with the Liberal Democratic Party after electing a new chairman and Kiambu MPs meeting to consider a political move.

"The political wave is of community and party alliances and we must move with speed or we will be left miles away, South Mugirango MP James Magara told a gathering at Gusii Institute of Technology. They cautioned Mr Nyachae against supporting, or even sympathising with, leaders or political parties which undermined President Kibaki’s government.

The leaders said the Kisii community had never been out of government since independence and, after rejecting the Narc alliance in the General Election, had to seek a place in the Kibaki government. In response, Mr Nyachae said: "I have taken your word. I have never schemed to undermine the NARC government and I want to point out that Ford People will continue to work with the government."

The rally, attended by dozens of professionals and politicians from the region, came only three days after Ford-Kenya elected minister Musikari Kombo as its chairman, succeeding Mr Michael Wamalwa, who died in August. Only a day after taking over, he attended a rally in Mr Raila Odinga's Langata constituency, at which the Housing and Public Works minister dramatically closed the battle between his LDP faction of the ruling coalition and the National Alliance (Party) of Kenya over their pre-election pact.

Mr Odinga said he was no longer interested in the position of prime minister and that the controversial Memorandum of Understanding had become irrelevant. Today the LDP leadership will pay a courtesy call on Mr Kombo's new team. On Saturday opposition and ruling party MPs from Kiambu met at Nairobi's Landmark Hotel under the chairmanship of Mr Njenga Karume to discuss their political future.

Yesterday in Kisii, Mr Nyachae said that despite having lost to President Kibaki in the last General Election "his ministers accord me and my party MPs a lot of respect and we cannot afford to fight the government of the day".

Notably absent from the rally were leaders allied to Kanu, Prof Sam Ongeri, Mr Chris Obure, Mr Joseph Kiangoi and other election losers. The MPs present included Mr Jimmy Angwenyi, Mr Henry Obwocha, Mr James Magara, Okioma, Mr Joel Onyancha, Mr Zepedeo Opore, Mr Stephen Manoti and Dr Hezron Manduku.

Professionals included two University dons, Prof Maranga and Prof Joseph Nyasani. Mr Nyachae declared his HIV status and urged other politicians to follow suit. "My position is known to me. I have been tested several times and I know confidently that I am HIV negative," he said.