Muriithi takes over as KRP party leader with an industrialisation pledge

Former Laikipia governor Ndiritu Muriithi yesterday took over as the party leader of the Kenya Reform Party (KRP).

It was a symbolic takeover for the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) chairman at a venue better known as the home where the second liberation unravelled.

Vowing to stay clear of mere political sloganeering and name-calling, Muriithi  took over the party at a National Delegates Conference yesterday with a grand dream to industrialise Kenya by 2035.

"Political parties are not a mere convenience for politicians. They are vehicles to seek best ideas and consensus for national development," said Muriithi.

"No amount of name-calling between the political elites will solve our problems, only well-thought-out policies," Muriithi added.

He called for political tolerance, urging rivals to let Kenyans to freely pick leaders with the best policies for an economic revolution.

"Democracy cannot work if you cannot accept that your neighbour can have a better idea than your own," he told delegates drawn from 40 counties.

He was also adamant that the party will not be a refuge for known economic saboteurs from anywhere in Kenya.

"Counties can and must become the centres of mass production and affordable credit.

The party also held elections, bringing in an expanded national leadership and a 30-man National Executive Council (NEC).

The NEC was also tasked with a mandate to scout for five eminent Kenyans to serve as party steering council.

The all white party also unveiled it's core mission of making manufacturing the driver of economic transformation by fully utilising Kenya's natural resources, developing competent human capital, and enabling every citizen to participate in mass production.

The party envisages a situation where every ward shall have a factory and Kenya is able to produce what it consumes leaving surplus for export.

KRP, which also approved resolutions to immediately embark on member recruitment stated that it believed in job dignity and aimed for full decent employment of all Kenyans through production.

It seeks a shift from export of raw materials to finished goods and even that by using locally assembled machines.

It said that it aimed to achieve that through establishing industrial parks in all 47 counties equipped with shared power, water, machinery and sheds that would be let to small and medium enterprises for Sh5,000 a month funded by a Sh150 billion Mass Production Fund.

A further Sh50 million per ward annually in seed capital will spur production hubs in all 1450 wards driving agro-processing, light manufacturing and mining value addition.

The party pledges to turn all technical training institutes into production centres.

It's government would ensure  70 percent of all government procurement consists of made-in-Kenya goods.

Another pillar of it's policy would see immediate ban on export of raw hides and skins, cashew nuts, avocado, macadamia nuts, raw fish and raw minerals.

That would also see establishment of a leather city in Machakos, avocado/macadamia oil park in central Kenya and fish, cashew nut and coconut processing parks in the coast and the Lake Region.

"We shall reduce industrial power costs by half from Sh18 to Sh9," said party chairman Mwangi Kahiro.

Kahiro also said the party would seek to give Kenyans ownership with each family owning a share in mass production in the respective industries in their areas.

That would ensure that the country was not merely providing a channel for foreign investors to make and expatriate capital from the country.

After a brief ruckus by a single delegate from Nairobi who claimed lack of adequate consultations, the conference approved creation of new posts including the party leader, three deputies and new deputies for national chairman and secretary general in an exercise presided by the Registrar of Political Parties.

"NEC has been looking for a party leader for four years, and we have declined many proposals.We have been looking for a leader with national stature and of upright morals and with notable leadership credentials," said Kahiro.

Muriithi later said of the protest by party member: "We extend an olive branch to the two but note that you got to subject yourself to a nomination to participate in an election."

Some of the newly elected officials include Anthony Wagura as Secretary, Political Affairs, Julius Sianga  as chair of the PWD League,

Zeinab Galma as chairperson Women League, Wangari  Machira as chair Business Council and Consolata Waweru as chair of the party Youth League.

Others are Kiama Mwanzi as Secretary, Devolution; Samuel Murage first national deputy party leader andJane Nampaso - Deputy Party Leader.

Speaking at the event as a guest, Mombasa gubernatorial aspirant Suleiman Shabbal  also indicated he was finally bolting out of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) for the New Democrats which could be unveiled as a Coast party.

"We welcome the formation of many parties. To fight the tyranny of the big parties. Look at ODM, it kicked out Sifuna, it wants to kick out Babu Owino. It will soon kicked me out," said Shabbal.

He urged Kenyans to demand from all parties the evidence of their policies that would make life better for Kenyans rather than be hoodwinked by mere slogans.

"The KRP is lucky to have Mureithi as new party leader. Sometimes when I want to feel intelligent, I call him for a conversation," said Shabbal.

Also in the meeting as guests included Prof Nick Wanjohi, a former Personal Assistant to third president Mwai Kibaki and top officials of Ubuntu Party associated with Trade CS Lee Kinyanjui.