• ANC party officials said they would not give in to intimidation and threats from those trying to force them to dissolve the party.
• Timamy said an attempt to fold parties into a single entity would take Kenya back to one-party rule, which he said many Kenyans are opposed to.
Image: CHETI PRAXIDES
ANC officials have said they will not give in to threats trying to force the party to fold into President William Ruto’s UDA.
The officials, led by party leader and Lamu Governor Issa Timamy, said on Monday that UDA should remain a party on its own. ANC and UDA are parties in Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
Timamy, who was in the company of other party officials, spoke in Lamu. Those present included ANC chairperson Kelvin Lunani, deputy party leader and Vihiga Woman Rep Beatrice Adagala, among others.
There have been spirited efforts by newly appointed UDA secretary general Cleophas Malala to have all parties under the coalition folded into a single entity.
Malala recently said stubborn party officials who don’t agree to the plan risk losing their lucrative government posts.
In their response, however, ANC party officials said they would not give in to intimidation and threats from those trying to force them to dissolve the party.
Timamy said the party's respect for Kenya Kwanza government does not extend to having it dissolved.
“This is an independent party and shall remain so. As ANC we remain respectful and committed to working with the Kenya Kwanza government and that’s just about it. We remain part of the coalition but still reserve the right to our independence as a party," he said.
“We had an agreement prior to joining the coalition and never did it mention anywhere that we were to have our parties dissolved upon winning the election. Let’s stick to the agreement. So far, UDA continues to abide by the terms laid therein.”
Timamy said an attempt to fold parties into a single entity would take Kenya back to one-party rule, which he said many Kenyans are opposed to.
“We are not folding. I pray that we shall respect the democratic space in this country and let the same prevail without fear or intimidation," the governor said.
He urged Kenyan leaders to focus on the more pressing needs of the electorate instead of engaging politics all the time.
Adagala urged leaders to work and serve Kenyans instead of focusing on the wrong agenda, seeing as six months have since lapsed since the elections ended.
“I feel like this whole party folding hullaballoo is being orchestrated by Azimio agents who have been sent to disrupt this other side from serving Kenyans. This is not the time to politick. Let’s work. This folding business is not our portion,” she said.
Adagala said the government should focus on bringing down the cost of living, power bills and fertiliser prices.
“The economy is not at its best and Kenyans are suffering. Kenyans are grappling with issues of insecurity, drought and others, yet we are here politicking from dawn to dusk,” she said.
Lunani warned Malala against dragging Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi’s name and reputation into the mud.
“We are asking him to do his job in peace and leave other issues that don’t concern him. We also want to remind him to respect his elders and Mudavadi is definitely not his mate,” he said.