Njenga, GG meet over Mkenya party membership row

Former Laikipia MP GG Kariuki yesterday dismissed as propaganda a media report alleging that he had disowned former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga as the Mkenya Solidarity Movement's presidential candidate. Yesterday, Kariuki, the party leader, and Njenga met at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi to resolve the differences.

And when the two leaders emerged emerged from the hotel shortly after 1pm, the former minister declined to speak to the press on the issue. "Forget about propaganda and concentrate on real reporting," he said. But Njenga told reporters that he is the party's presidential candidate  adding that he is working closely with the former MP.

The meeting started at around 11am was attended by four other men believed to be officials of the party and Njenga's close allies. Kariuki was quoted in the Nation on Monday saying Njenga was not a member of the party on which he will run for the presidency. Njenga who spoke to the Star said he is a bonafide member of the Mkenya Solidarity Movement and alleged that there is a plot by some politicians to scuttle his presidential ambitions by causing division in his party. "We have information that some people have been paid close to Sh10 million by our competitors to scuttle our party. They are wrong on this because we are in this party to the end,"  said Njenga.

Njenga and his supporters attended the launch of the Mkenya Solidarity movement in large numbers at Kamukunji grounds two weeks ago. Njenga said Kariuki had no authority to decide on who is a member of the party because he is also an acting leader. "We appointed Kariuki when I was in jail to run the party as an elder and therefore he cannot decide on who is a member and who is not," said Njenga. Kariuki together with party chairman Watson Simiyu Wekesa were reported saying stated that Njenga is not a registered member of the party.