RUTO PARTY THREATENED BY JIRONGO
TENSIONS are mounting in the United Republican Party that will be the flagship for Eldoret North MP William Ruto's presidential bid in 2013. Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo is about to ditch the URP over allegations of a lack of internal democracy. Party chairman and former national assembly speaker Francis ole Kaparo yesterday sought to quash claims of growing tension. He is concerned that Jirongo's departure would weaken URP's image as a national party.
But even as Kaparo sought to deflect the tension, an MP from Rift Valley and a close associate of Ruto complained that Jirongo had “become a cry baby.” “He has been complaining about every other thing that the party does. We cannot run a party like that,” the MP said. Ruto and Jirongo have had trouble getting on since the URP's launch in January, according to multiple sources. "They have pursued different agendas since the party was launched. While Jirongo felt shortchanged from the onset when Ruto turned the party's launch into his presidential launch, people close to Ruto have been uneasy with the publicity campaigns Jirongo has been running on radio stations in Rift Valley," one source said.
Yesterday, Ruto was unavailable on his cellphone for comment despite calling him twice. Jirongo is likely to announce his political future this week. “He is going to be on a radio interview and it will be explosive,” John Nyongesa who handles media relations for the Lugari MP said yesterday. “Elements within the party are blocking expansion of URP outside Rift Valley and there is no internal democracy in the party,” Nyongesa said.
Jirongo, a former Youth for Kanu '92 chairman was the party leader of Kenya African Democratic Development Union (KADDU). He moved with Ruto to United Democratic Movement last year which they founded in 1997. At the start of the year Jirongo and Ruto migrated to URP after the UDM was plunged into leadership wrangles. The URP was founded by close allies of Belgut MP Charles Keter, a key Ruto supporter. Some party officials are worried that the exit of Jirongo might reduce URP to being a Kalenjin party instead of the intended national party as he was the most prominent Western politician.
However Matuga MP Chirau Ali Mwakwere remains in the URP and is the Coastal heavyweight while Dujis MP Aden Duale the main figure from North Eastern. Mwakwere is hoping to be Ruto's running mate in the presidential race. Jirongo had been hoping to is run against Ruto for the URP ticket at the 2013 presidential election next year but the party structures are dominated by Ruto supporters. “Basically, he is protesting the political direction URP is taking. It defies logic for him to continue pursuing his political ambitions within a party that has no room for internal competition,” said Nyongesa.
Kaparo yesterday said he was not aware of any internal squabbles within URP. “As the URP chairman, I have not heard of the conflicts and no one, including Jirongo, has called me to raise any issue,” said Kaparo. “There is a difference between an individual and the party and you must remember individuals do not agree on everything all the time. If an individual doesn't want to be in the party he is free to quit but the party remains because it is bigger than any one person,” he said.
Over the weekend, Jirongo hinted at the possibility of a fresh alliance of MPs from the Coast, Western, Eastern and Nyanza provinces while speaking at a fundraising event in Ng’andu Primary School in Magarini, Kilifi County. He called for an equal opportunities party devoid of tribal power brokers who were stifling internal party democracy while falsely claiming to enhance it. “We need a political party that can heal the current polarized country. Tying up alliances that only serve the numbered communities in Kenya is unhealthy and will only serve to perpetuate ethnic competition that has so far put the country on the brink on civil unrest,” he said at the rally.
His claims that the URP lacks internal democracy echoed the grievances of Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi before he defected from ODM to UDF. “There have been no party elections. To make matters worse, the date of the elections have not been determined,” said Nyongesa. Kaparo however asked for calm and understanding from members of the party. “This is just the third week since we received our registration certificate and within that time we could only do so much,” he said. The former Speaker refuted claims by Jirongo that no date for electing party officials has been set. He said they will be elected in August.
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