Delegates of the New Ford Kenya party drawn from the Western region have endorsed the move of dissolving the party to join the Jubilee Party umbrella of Kenya ahead of the 2017 polls.
In a three-hour meeting held at Webuye on Saturday, over 2,500 delegates unanimously approved the dissolving of the party to merge with other Jubilee coalition affiliates under the new party.
The meeting was chaired by Bungoma County Governor Kenneth Lusaka who is also the party chairperson. The members said that the party had held a high level consultation meeting to deliberate on the dissolution and they all agreed it was for the best of their welfare.
Governor Lusaka also encouraged other leaders who may be frustrated with political developments in their parties to join them in Jubilee as it stands out to be the best among other coalitions.
“We are just waiting for the National Governing Council for ratification,” said Lusaka.
The New Ford Kenya move to dissolve will be viewed as a strong statement which may compel other smaller parties to take the same route to ride on the popularity that comes with a party with the strongest political candidate.
Also in attendance were Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, MPs Dan Wanyama (Webuye West), Bonface Ostyula (Bumula), Reginalda Wanyonyi (Bungoma County Women Representative), Janet Nangabo (Trans Nzoia County Women Representative) and MCA’s.
The party, which was led by Eugene Wamalwa before he took the Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary post, has majority members in Bungoma and Trans Nzoia County assemblies which gives it a bigger bargaining power in the jubilee party that is awaiting to be launched in the near future.
Other parties affiliated to the Jubilee coalition are also expected to unite into one single party in December ahead of the 2017 general elections.