Shirikisho still in PNU, says Mwakwere

Published on October 25, 2007, 12:00 am
By Standard team
Transport minister, Mr Ali Mwakwere, the party leader, on Wednesday said Shirikisho was still a member of Party of National Unity (PNU).
"We cannot pull out of PNU as the decision was taken during the party’s National Delegates Conference," said Mwakwere, in the company of deputy party leader, Tourism minister Mr Morris Dzoro, when he addressed a PNU rally at Kinango, Coast Province.
Mwakwere said the decision to pull out of PNU could only be reversed by the NDC and not an individual.
On Monday, a party organ announced that Shirikisho had severed ties with PNU, saying President Kibaki’s party was opposed to majimboism.
National chairman, Mr Mashengu wa Mwachofi, announced that the party was no longer an affiliate of PNU and would instead campaign for a presidential candidate who is pro-majimbo.
Meanwhile, Mwakwere has called on the party to convene a National Executive Committee meeting to discuss the conduct of the two dissenting party officials.
He said the NEC should discipline Mwachofi, and vice-chairman, Mr Safari Mumba. Mwakwere was speaking at Nyali Beach Hotel.
He said Mwachofi should also be punished for failing to attend the party’s meeting for eight days without sending apologies.
—Stories by Ernest Ndunda, Willis Oketch and Ngumbao Kithi.