The coalition waiting to form the next government if the Supreme Court upholds its win in the March 4 General Election said it was looking forward to working with the East African region’s ruling parties in a bid to foster regional integration.
The National Alliance (TNA) chairman Johnson Sakaja said the pact with the National Council for the Defence of Democracy–Forces for the Defence of Democracy is a starting point for regional parties to work together to advance the ideals of the EastAfrican Community.
“As Jubilee coalition we feel strongly that the future of the politics in the region and Africa in general is in strengthening political parties and ensuring cooperation,” Mr Sakaja said when he signed the agreement on behalf of the coalition bringing together four parties—TNA, United Republican Party, Narc and Republican Congress Thursday.
The coalition will also sign another agreement with Tanzanian ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi next week.
“We are talking with other ruling parties in the region but we emphasise mutual working relationship before we sign any agreement,” said Mr Sakaja, who has been nominated to the National Assembly.
The party’s chairman Pascal Nyabenda said it was ready to work with the coalition after its presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner of the last elections.
“We congratulate the coalition for winning the elections and Kenyans for conducting themselves peacefully during the period.
"After years of war our country is now reconstructing and we are expressing our wish to work with other political parties in the region,” Mr Nyabenda said at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi.
CNDD-FDD has been the ruling party in Burundi since 2005 when it took over power after largely peaceful elections.
Kenya and Burundi are, together with Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda, members of the East African Community, the revived trading block expected to enable trade without major obstacles such as strict custom laws.
The parties’ agreement came as Mr Kenyatta’s opponent in the presidential election Prime Minister Raila Odinga awaits a ruling on a petition he filed at the Supreme Court challenging the President-elect victory announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission on March 9.
URP chairman Francis Kaparo said the coalition was setting precedence with the agreement as no other Kenyan party had done so.
“There will always be a very important exchange of ideas out of partnership of parties in Africa. We are not only looking at parties in Africa we will be seeking to work with others from outside the continent,” said Mr Kaparo.
- Daily Nation
