Nairobi — Three political parties are engaged in a secret fight to have President Kibaki as their candidate in next year's General Election.

The Democratic Party, of which the President is the official chairman, the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) and government-leaning Narc Kenya want the President to state categorically the party on whose ticket he will seek re-election.

They have all visited State House secretly in the past two weeks to get his word that he has not joined a rival team.

Aware of the struggle over his fealty, the Sunday Nation learnt that President Kibaki used Monday's meeting of the government of national unity to warn people he did not name against using his name to bolster their popularity.

It was understood that the warning was prompted by a question from Juja MP William Kabogo who wanted to know if he would seek re-election in 2007, arguing that the President had not publicly declared his stand.

In response, it was said that the President was categorical that he would vie for a second term and told members of his government that there was no doubt on the issue. It was then that assistant minister Raphael Wanjala and Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara inquired on what party ticket he would do so.

It was this question that goaded the President into speaking bitterly about people linking him to their parties in public rallies and press conferences. He said he was elected on a Narc ticket and constituted the unity government to deliver services to Kenyans.

Contacted yesterday, Mr Wanjala said: "I am not the one who raised the question; others at the meeting did."

It is significant that Narc Kenya and DP have publicly stated that President Kibaki is their candidate.

Narc chairperson Charity Ngilu, however, insists that the head of state has yet to tell her that he will not be the party's flagbearer.

The President's warning appeared to have caused panic among Narc-K leaders who, the following day, rushed to State House for a clarification meeting with the President which party he was targeting.

Yesterday, Cabinet ministers Mukhisa Kituyi (Trade and Industry) and Mutua Katuku (Water Resources) and assistant ministers Stephen Tarus and Danson Mungatana said that "some other people were very happy saying it was us he was warning."

But after the Tuesday meeting with the President, they said the warning did not target Narc-K but other parties.

Said Dr Kituyi: "I know 100 per cent he was not referring to Narc Kenya. I sought his clarification and he told me it was not us he was referring to." He then added: "I know he is referring to DP."

Asked why party members visited State House a day after the warning, the Kimilili MP said they were consulting the President on other issues.

Said Mr Katuku without naming names and in an apparent reference to DP: "Narc Kenya cannot engage with some people who are seeking the attention of the President." He asked DP to sell its agenda to Kenyans, arguing that Narc-K is not ready to engage in squabbles with other parties.

But Livestock minister Joseph Munyao, the DP secretary-general, and his deputy George Nyamweya said nobody could interpret what the President said for him.

"The President is above political parties and nobody should pretend to interpret what he said," Mr Munyao said. "The President can talk for himself."

They said files at the registrar of societies still show that President Kibaki is the DP chairman. "Go and see for yourself the files at the registrar of societies if you want to establish the truth," he said. "DP is a society like any other."

Mr Nyamweya said the remarks were meant to warn Narc-K whose members were going round the country saying that the President was behind their party.

"Have you ever heard him say he is in Narc Kenya?" he posed. "That statement was meant for Narc Kenya who are using his name to popularise themselves."

He said DP would support President Kibaki's bid next year as it did in 1992, 1997 and 2002, and explained that it was the party that paid Sh100,000 for the President and about 70 other parliamentary hopefuls to join Narc.

Mr Nyamweya described politicians wooing President Kibaki as johnny-come-latelies who want to ride on his success to boost their parliamentary bids.

"The President's term as our chairman has not ended," he said. "If that is what Narc Kenya wants, let it wait for his term to end if they think he can seek re-election on their party ticket."

However, according to Mr Tarus, the President's sentiments could have been aimed at a few people using his name "saying he is in this or that party."

"I think the President was just telling them to be responsible, but I don't think he was directing the remark at our party which has united the people," the assistant minister added.

President Kibaki has never reacted to any of the suggestions, including Narc-K's proposal that he be its flagbearer. Vice-President Moody Awori was the first to link the President to the new party at its launch early in the year.

In what appeared to be his approval of the new party, the President campaigned for the party's candidate in the Nakuru Town by-election, Mr Kariuki Mirugi, who won the seat previously held by his father.

During the campaign, he praised those behind the party for their unity and good work.

And during a tour of the Coast where he gave out title deeds to squatters, Cabinet and assistant ministers used the forum to campaign for Narc-K in his presence.

It was understood that on Friday, last week, President Kibaki invited representatives of the three parties to State House and asked them to work out a plan of how the unity government parties could work together in and out of Parliament.