Kenya’s oldest political party KANU might just be on its deathbed after suffering terrible losses in this year’s general elections.
Outgoing Rongai MP Raymond Moi, was the remaining hope to save the dying KANU, but his quest to defend his seat in the mini-elections organized on Monday 29, August saw him lose to UDA’s Paul Chebor.
Chebor sent Raymond packing after garnering 27,021. The son of the late president Daniel Moi got 14,715 votes.
Raymond’s younger brother, Gideon Moi, also suffered the same fate in the hands of the UDA. Gideon was floored in the Baringo senate race by Baringo North MP William Cheptumo.
UDA also dominated Gideon’s Baringo backyard by winning five MP seats, except for Tiaty, which KANU’s William Kamket retained. Aside from that, UDA secured the Women Rep seat as well as the governor’s seat and most seats in Rift Valley.
The rise of UDA in Rift valley was KANU’s biggest threat but it seems that members of the party did so little to counter the influence of the new political party. UDA meant a new dawn and change in the region, which many people gladly embraced instead of being tied to an Independence party. UDA won over youths and many people because it promised what they were just looking as KANU continued to watched.
The party was formed in 1960 with James Gichuru being the party leader. Kenya’s first president Jomo Kenyatta took over from 1962- 1978. Moi, the second head of state, assumed KANU leadership from 1978-2005 and was succeeded by Uhuru Kenyatta.
KANU’s biggest downfall was however witnessed when the party failed to win the presidential seat in 2002 general elections, whereby Uhuru faced Mwai Kibaki who vied on a NARC ticket.
KANU’s hope to resurrect dwindled further when Uhuru declined to vie and decided to back Kibaki in the 2007 general elections.
Differences later emerged in the party with Uhuru falling out with other party members including Gideon Moi. This saw him decamp and form TNA which later joined forces with William Ruto’s URP in the 2013 general elections. Gideon was then handed the party leadership. Ruto landed a DP position thus marking the beginning of a supremacy battle between him and Gideon.
Gideon’s leadership has also cost the party so much as many have accused him of not being in touch with locals.
Others suggested that KANU’s downfall is attributed to Gideon’s political indecisiveness. He had earlier vowed to be in the presidential race in 2022 general elections before changing his mind to support Raila Odinga.
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