Nairobi — There is a feeling of hopelessness in the Mt Kenya regional following the replacement of Democratic Party chairman Mwai Kibaki.

Some loyalists feel orphaned, while greenhorns burning with ambition welcome the unfolding political scenario. A cross-section of leaders said President Kibaki's replacement as the DP chairman marked his official divorce from a party he created in 1992, to shrug off the tribal tag he has always been associated with.

"DP has always been viewed as a tribal outfit, with no significant following outside central Kenya. It would have given Kibaki a bad name had he opted to seek re-election on its ticket," says Laikipia County Council chairman, Jackson Machomba.

Machomba feels the time has come for Kibaki to break the shackles of political parties, which in the past placed huge demands on him.

"By breaking ranks with the party he founded, he has demonstrated that he is free to join any party. Right now he can contest on a DP, Narc or Narc-Kenya ticket. He has pulled a fast one on every body," says the councillor.

"President Kibaki will make history as a President who will seek re-election from another party other than the ruling one. He will keep everybody guessing."

A Nyeri leader, Mathenge Simon, says that the replacement of Kibaki in DP shows that the party is dead and the President wants nothing to do with it. "DP is dead. There is no question about it. We cannot go back to the past. We should learn to mend bridges and build alliances with other communities."

Mathenge says that some bitter lessons have been learnt after some politicians blocked all avenues of strengthening Narc, with Liberal Democratic Party leaders barring any attempts for grassroots recruitment. The stalemate in Narc, Mathenge feels, was calculated to frustrate President Kibaki should he opt to seek re-election as he would have no party while his rivals had their original outfits.

Mwangi Kiande, a Narc leader from Nyeri, says that the creation of a new party, and the disbandment of DP, will herald a new political dispensation. He says that DP, Narc, and Narc-Kenya give the President latitude to choose where to go.

Meanwhile, Narc-Kenya will hold elections before the 2007 General Election, a minister said yesterday.

Education Assistant minister, Dr Kilemi Mwiria, said the days of saying so and so tosha are gone.

"Our party will embrace democracy from the bottom to the top," said Mwiria.

He said nominations for civic, parliamentary and presidential seats would be done democratically.

Speaking in Meru, Mwiria, who is the Tigania West MP, said the new party has a national outlook with representation from every corner of the country.

"This is a true Kenyan political party. It has no tribal boundaries. If you look at others like the DP, you realise they lack national representation," Mwiria added. He said Narc-Kenya was in the meantime strengthening its structures, including the national secretariat.