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Nick Salat’s stand on Nasa denounced by Kanu


Kanu has distanced itself from remarks made by its secretary general Nick Salat at the Grand opposition conference on Wednesday at Bomas of Kenya.

Through its National Executive Council member Zipporah Kittony, the party has termed Mr Salat’s statements as personal and do not reflect in any way the position of the party on the matter of an election coalition at this juncture.

Mr Salat joined opposition leaders and their supporters when they converged at Bomas to unveil the National Super Alliance (Nasa) comprising of parties opposed to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party.

During the meeting, the Kanu, Mr Salat said the oldest party in Kenya has already joined Nasa and together with other like-minded parties is determined to remove Jubilee from power.

Mr Salat was among the five opposition leaders who signed a resolution by the newly launched opposition outfit that was read Siaya Senator James Orengo.

UNOFFICIAL REMARKS

Others present were Cord principals Raila Odinga (ODM), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Democratic Movement), Moses Wetangula (Ford Kenya) and Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi.

But in a statement sent to newsrooms, Mrs Kittony said Kanu policies and decisions are guided by the party’s constitution which stipulates that such a decision must first be discussed by the supreme decision making organ of the party, the National Delegates Conference (NDC).

“Since the party has not convened the NDC as per the constitution to deliberate on this particular matter, the remarks by the Secretary General are therefore not official as they have not been subjected to the internal constitutional processes for ratification,” said Mrs Kittony.

OPPOSITION CANDIDATE

The nominated Senator however said that Kanu supports the idea in its formative stage of opposition unity.

“The resolve by opposition leaders to field one presidential candidate is a milestone for Kenya’s growing democracy,” said Mrs Kittony.

It is not the first time a section of Kanu leadership was distancing themselves from moves made by Mr Salat.

Last year the secretary general joined Cord principals and supporters in street protests against the continued stay in office of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) officials.

The move that was not taken kindly by other party members. Mogotio MP, Hellen Sambili, would then decline nomination to special parliamentary team on electoral reforms on the grounds that her party is in partnership with the ruling Jubilee coalition and could not accept an offer from Cord.