The mega Jubilee Party is about to blast off, carrying President Uhuru Kenyatta's aspirations to re-election.
Some 7,370 delegates meet today at Kasarani Indoor Arena to ratify formation of the Mother of All Parties, the mother ship.
Yesterday, unity was the theme as 11 Jubilee coalition affiliates closed up shop ahead of their merger today into Jubilee Party.
GNU, URP, TIP, TNA and Ford People held their National Delegates Conventions at Kasarani where they disbanded. UDF, NFK, RC, APK, JAP and UPK dissolved at meetings held at the Bomas of Kenya.
When they gather today, delegates from all parties will ratify the merger instruments, including the JP constitution, nomination rules and elections rules.
Deputy President William Ruto, deputy JP leader, will deliver the keynote address today. Party leader President Uhuru Kenyatta tomorrow addresses the Jubilee Convention and the official launch.
During meetings yesterday, Turkana Senator John Munyes, Turkana East MP Nicholas Ngikor and Loima's Protus Akuja announced they would defect to Jubilee.
Also announcing defections to Jubilee were Mathare MP Stephen Kariuki and nominated MP Isaac Mwaura.
Akuja, Mwaura and Kariuki were elected through ODM, while Munyes and Ngikor got Ford Kenya tickets.
"I resigned as Ford Kenya chair yesterday (Wednesday). I urge (Bungoma Senator Moses) Wetang'ula and the Ford Kenya family to join me," Munyes said yesterday.
Wetang'ula, who is leader of the party, said he will run for President in the August 8, 2017 general election.
Expert comment:
The first to merge at Kasarani was Ruto’s URP, represented by National Assembly Majority Leader Adan Duale, among others.
“Today’s merger will shape Kenya’s politics. This merger to have one party brings together all those who believe in one Kenya; those who believe in one tribe, those united in religions. We are setting the stage for all those who believe in one nation, in one leadership and one country,” Duale told a jubilant crowd.
Speaker after speaker praised the merger of affiliates, tethering them to what they expect to be a victorious national outfit.
Alliance Party of Kenya leader Senator Kiraitu Murungi defended his party's decision to dissolve, saying JP was the best option.
“It is the happiest day of my life since I have been a good driver of the bus. No one was hurt,” Murungi said during the NDC at the Bomas of Kenya.
On party nominations for 2017, he told delegates the process will be free and fair.
National and county elections boards will ensure the process is transparent, Murungi said.
“IEBC will oversee our nomination process in all parts of the country."
“There will be no rigging. Not even the President or his deputy will help you get the nomination certificate.”
He urged aspirants to win the hearts of the electorate so they can win nominations.
Uhuru's TNA was the last to dissolve in a meeting that was attended by more the 1,650 delegates that were needed to ratify the decision to dissolve.
Two Cabinet Secretaries led their parties in dissolving to join Jubilee
Water CS Eugene Wamalwa of New Ford Kenya and his Tourism counterpart Najib Balala of Republican Congress party, were at the Bomas of Kenya to consolidate the support for Uhuru and Ruto.
“This is the way to go, we want to ensure we lead a common front ensuring that Jubilee retains power in 2017,” said Wamalwa who is interested in the Nairobi governor's job.
However, despite publicly announcing they had resigned from their parties and therefore had no business with them, Balala and Wamalwa were yesterday at the center of political proclamations.
“I agree with the resolutions — to move from a small party to a big party because the objective of any politician or political party is how do we go into government. This is the clear way,” Balala said.
During inauguration of the Jubilee Cabinet in 2013, Uhuru and Ruto publicly declared they were the only politicians there.
Bungoma governor Ken Lusaka, the New Ford Kenya chairman, said the merger decision will promote mature politics.
“We are moving forward and Jubilee is the way. Those who are undecided will be left behind,” he said.
Mwaura, who wants to run in Ruiru, said, “I have already made it clear to Cord leader Raila Odinga that I am in Jubilee, the winning team.”
TNA chairman Johnson Sakaja reminded delegates why the party had been formed, saying their dream was not dying with dissolution.
“We still believe we can continue on the path of prosperity and transformation, even as we unite our people. The beauty of our country lies in the diversity of its citizens,” he said.
Sakaja said Jubilee leaders believe power must remain in the hands of the people and Kenyans "should not be bystanders in their own story".
“This is why we propose to move together into a party that gives life to our beliefs. We join other parties that also believe that for Kenya to move forward, for unity to be our marching anthem, we must come together,” he said.
Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua, who spoke on behalf of governors, praised the birth of the new party, saying it will create a strong platform for Kenyans to be represented at a national level.
Kinuthia said the party will have a strong constituency to push for development.
TNA Secretary General Onyango Oloo said the Jubilee Party was on course to achieve the goals in its manifesto. The new party will synchronize the manifestos of all parties to serve all Kenyans equally and effectively.