Former Agriculture CS, Mwangi Kiunjuri, made true his promise to critics who he alleged wanted to write him off the political sphere, following his firing by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In a report aired by NTV, on Friday, January 24, Kiunjuri reportedly made the first move towards setting himself as a pole candidate for 2022 elections.
Sources close to Kiunjuri informed the outlet that Kiunjuri was in the process of registering a political party in readiness for any outcome. Either he himself may be a contender or he may form an alliance with other politicians.
After his firing, reports alleged that Kiunjuri was highly regarded by DP Ruto as a possible running mate in 2022.
The former MP is allegedly registering The Service Party and has reportedly received a provisional certificate according to Registrar of Political Parties, Anne Nderitu, as reported by NTV.
Despite Kiujuri maintaining a low-key status in regards to his association with the party, the sources claimed that he was very influential in its formation.
However, the former CS' path is already facing hurdles, after some of his party members were arrested by police in Kitengela while carrying out a registration exercise to reach the 1,000 members set by the law.
According to the Political Parties Act, any individual seeking to register a party must recruit 1,000 members, provide a party manifesto, establish a governing body and provide clearly stipulated party ideologies that would guide its operations.
The Service Party already has offices and interim officials in 29 counties and expects to be fully registered by April 2020.
Kiunjuri joins Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria and Muranga Governor Mwangi wa Iria as Mt Kenya leaders who are associated with various political formations other than the Jubilee Party.
Iria is linked to the Civic Renewal Party while Kuria, in August 2019, formed the Transformational National Alliance Party.
