Nairobi — The PNU coalition heads to Naivasha this Friday to hammer out a political deal in preparation for the 2012 elections.

The meeting will bring together party leaders from PNU, Kanu, ODM-Kenya, Safina, Ford Kenya, New Ford Kenya, Sisi kwa Sisi, Mazingira, Shirikisho, Ford People, DP, and Kadu Asili, among others.

At the weekend, PNU secretary general Kiraitu Murungi made a personal invitation to members of the Democratic Party during a forum in an Embu hotel.

"Parties are planning to go into the elections alone and unite afterwards. We might end up trying to form opposition unity instead of forming the government," said the Imenti South MP.

But DP secretary general Chris Murungaru said the party would not unite with others to field a single candidate.

The Naivasha meeting comes amid reports of power struggles among the proposed leadership of the new alliance that was to be registered as the People's Democratic Union.

Sources in the union, which has now settled for the name People's Patriotic Union, said there were attempts to kick out one of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta's key allies from the leadership.

During a meeting held last Thursday, some of the leaders of the new party were said to have asked that Mr Moses Kuria be removed from one of the coalition's organs - the central committee - and from being the spokesperson.

Replace him

"It was resolved that Mr Kiraitu Murungi be the spokesperson but Mr Kuria remains in the central committee since he was seconded to the alliance by Kanu. It is, therefore, only Kanu which can replace him," said a source close to the meeting but who sought anonymity.

When reached by the Nation, Mr Kuria declined to comment on the matter. The two-day retreat will focus on the coalition's charter, logo, ideology, leadership structures, and interim leadership.