By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
A section of political leaders allied to the Amani National Congress (ANC) has dismissed reports that the party is planning fold.
Reports have been rife in the last few weeks that the Musalia Mudavadi-led party had finally agreed to close shop and join the ruling UDA party.
It had been reported that as part of the deal, Mudavadi now the Prime Cabinet Minister and Cabinet Secretary of Foreign Affairs would be made the UDA deputy party leader alongside Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
But on Wednesday, ANC officials led by Secretary General Omboko Milemba termed the reports as hot air.
The legislator noted that ANC was an important party that had no plans of folding anytime soon.
He said the party that has a huge following in Western and parts of coast will play a key role in the 2027 general election.
“ANC will be a very important party and this is why we are not folding,” the SG said.
“It will be a baseline that will accommodate any other candidates. We shall also be shopping for the vest candidate,” he added.
ANC is one of the founders of the Kenya Kwanza coalition alongside Ford Kenya.
There has been pressure for the smaller parties to join UDA ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While President William Ruto has in the past said no party will be forced to fold and join UDA, political pundits suggest the push is still on.
Ford Kenya, led by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has also turned down any attempts to fold and join UDA which is the biggest single party in the coalition.
“Mudavadi gas already declared that he will support Ruto’s reelection but we also ask that no body should threaten us to join UDA,” noted another ANC member.
“Politics is about numbers and that’s why we want to have numbers so that erj we go to the negotiation table, we have a voice,” he added.
Mudavadi and Wetangula are holding their current positions thanks to a pre-election agreement they had with President William Ruto.
However, there has been suggestions that UDA will be stronger is all Kenya Kwanza affiliates join them.
Several parties have already folded following an earlier push that was led by UDA secretary general Cleophas Malala.