Mt Kenya East political leaders have pledged to dissolve their parties and support JAP ahead of the 2017 general election.
More than 91 MCAs, MPs, woman representatives and senators from Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Meru counties met for the Nkubu Declaration meeting at Heritage Hotel in Nkubu at the weekend.
Reading a statement on the resolutions, Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti said the regional JAP coalition will be launched in Embu next month.
“We undertake to immediately commence popularising JAP and encourage as many of our people to join it,” he said.
Kivuti is caucus chairman.
The leaders also agreed on vigorous voter registration to strengthen their bargaining power.
They formed a voter registration steering committee.
It includes Meru woman representative Florence Kajuju, MPs Kinoti Gatobu, Cecily Mbarire, Muriuki Njagagua, Beatrice Nkatha, Tharaka Nithi Deputy Governor Eliud Muriithi and Meru deputy speaker Gideon Kimathi.
Currently, the average voter registration figures are at 55 per cent of the eligible voters, Senate majority leader Kithure Kindiki said.
Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Meru counties have a combined total of 1.1million votes, he added.
Kindiki said the aim is to increase this number to 1.8 million by 2017 and to 2.9 million by 2022.
He said voter registration will be launched in November at Chuka University grounds.
The leaders said they will honour the Jubilee pact by supporting President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2017 and William Ruto in 2022.
They called for termination of the ICC case against Deputy President William Ruto and journalist Joshua Sang.
They plan to organise a prayer meeting on Sunday, October 11, at Mwendantu Grounds in Meru.
But the leaders also complained the Jubilee leadership has not rewarded the region for supporting the coalition in the last elections.
Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi said they appreciate the little they have been given but they deserve more.
He said the region continues to suffer from critical social and economic problems, such as poor roads, inadequate water for households and irrigation and lack of jobs and business opportunities for young people.
Other problems are drug abuse, diminishing incomes from agricultural production, low commodity prices, inadequate health facilities, inability of women and girls to advance themselves economically, female genital mutilation, early marriages and inability of persons with disability to access livelihood opportunities
“We are dissatisfied with the pace at which roads, water, irrigation and issuance of title deeds is taking place,” Kiraitu said.
He said successive governments, including the current one, have made development pledges in Mt Kenya East during and after elections.
Most of these remain unfulfilled despite people’s overwhelming support for Jubilee.
Kiraitu said the leaders will exert more pressure on the Jubilee government to fulfil its previous election pledges.
The leaders said the region is still not adequately represented in government appointments.
Meru Governor Peter Munya, who is opposed to dissolving regional parties in favour of JAP, was not present.
Director of communications Simon Kobia said Munya was attending meetings in Garsen and Kitui.
