KANU LEADERS IN LUO-NYANZA LAUNCH EFFORTS TO REVITALIZE THE PARTY IN THE REGION IN PREPARATION FOR THE 2012 GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

CONCERTED efforts to revitalize KANU in Luo-Nyanza have started in earnest with party big-wigs in the region vowing to prepare it in readiness for the year 2012 general election.

KANU structures in the region , they said is still intact. But the leaders from the various branches who converged in Kisumu and Migori towns for consultative seminars and workshops severely criticized the party top leadership at the headquarters for laxity.

In Migori town, leaders drawn from four branches held a one day seminar at one of the town’s hotels, and vowed to revive the party and make it a viable popular vehicle in the region, in readiness to compete effectively with other parties, come the year 2012 general elections.

The attendees were drawn from Nyatike, Uriri,Migori and Rongo districts. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Tom Otieno Alila, the Ndhiwa branch chairman who was also the facilitator and coordinator.

In attendance were Mm Johanes Adera and Rongo branh chairman.Elisha oOyieyo and women leader Susan Dinya..

Speaker after speaker scathingly criticized the party leadership, under Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, for dismal performance and poor leadership, which has seen the party sliding from number one mass political movement in this country to fourth position during the 2007 general elections. They called for a radical surgery within the party hierarchy so that it could regain its lost glory…

Makambo criticized top KANU leaders at the headquarters for having short-changed the party members from Luo-Nyanza by filling the position left vacant at the national office by those who defected to other parties without considering anyone from the region. For many years the position of the party national chairmanship was the excusive preserve of the Luo-Nyanza region. The previous holders were the late David Okiki Amayo, Ndolo Ayah, and Peter Castro Oloo Aringo, and until 2007 was Dalmas Otieno.

The leaders also resolved that the party must remain active all the time, and not only when the elections are around the corner. They further called for the replacement of Uhuru Kenyatta by an aggressive and charismatic leader, since his continued holding of the office of the national party chairmanship is adding no value to the party’s popularity.

Another group of KANU leaders drawn from Suba, Bondo, Siaya, Muhoroni, Nyakch, Rachuoyo, Homa-Bay, Ugenya, Rarieda, Kisumu East, Nyando, Kisumu West and Muhoroni, who met for a one day seminar held at the New Kisumu Hotel, called specifically for the immediate removal of Uhuru Kenyatta and his replacement by the national vice chairman Mr., Gideon Moi on acting capacity. The wondered why Mr.Kenyatta was more active on the side of the PNU instead of KANU. “It is time he should vacate, pack up and rejoin his kin in the PNU instead of fence sitting. This is only serving to undermining KANU to a point where it could not regain its lost glories of the past”, said Tom Alila.

Mr. Kenyatta was earlier expected to attend this morning, but the word came through that he was held in a cabinet meeting at the Sate House Nairobi, and would not be able to attend the Friday meeting.

The Kisumu meeting also resolved that KANU should be respected by the other parties because all its structures and network count.

KANU leaders in Nyanza have also called on the party Secretary-General Nick Salat, the national vice chairman Gideon Moi, not to confine their activities most of the time within the Rift Valley, but they should open up and spread to all other regions.

Ends

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From: Leo Odera Omolo
Date: Aug 11, 2009 1:20 AM
Subject: KANU LEADERS IN LUOI-NYANZA WANT UHURU KENYATTA OUT