Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Shirikisho to back Kibaki for presidency



President Kibaki
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Published on September 4, 2007, 12:00 am
By Ngumbao Kithi
Shirikisho Party of Kenya (SPK) has relaxed its terms for co-operation with other political parties.
The party has also announced it will campaign for the re-election of President Kibaki.
Transport minister and party leader, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere, said SPK would show gratitude to the President for his weeklong tour — during which he showered goodies at the Coast — by campaigning for his re-election.
Said he: "We are interested in the re-election of Kibaki for a final five-year term. Cooperation with other political parties is not on our agenda yet."
The party two weeks ago differed with ODM when it demanded the slot of Vice President as a condition for entering a pact.
The other condition was that ODM should not field civic and parliamentary candidates in the region.
Mvita MP, Mr Najib Balala, who at the weekend stepped down in favour of Lang’ata MP, Mr Raila Odinga, for the ODM presidential ticket, described the demands as "unrealistic and unacceptable".
Speaking at the Palm Tree Hotel, during a press conference attended by deputy party leader, Mr Morris Dzoro and Kisauni MP, Mr Anania Mwaboza, Mwakwere said no agreement had been reached on which political party SPK would work with.
"We are not going to work with political parties that give conditions to us, it is us to give conditions to political partiers that want to work with us," he said.
The decision to back Kibaki was reached by top SPK officials after an overnight meeting at a North Coast hotel.
Secretary general, Mr Yusuf Abubakar, confirmed the party had agreed to campaign for Kibaki.
Vice chairman, Mr John Mumba, said it was still their wish that any party interested in working with its leaders sets aside the VP slot for SPK.
Mwaboza distanced the party from claims that it was tribal, saying: "Shirikisho does not stand for such things. We want resources of the region to benefit the local people first and others later.

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