Saitoti's presidential hopes were dashed

But in the last few months President Moi has favoured the younger man.

He has been appointed not only as an MP but also as a government minister.

The NDP leader, Raila Odinga, is the new party's general-secretary.

The main casualty of these elections was Kenya's outgoing Vice-President, George Saitoti.

He did not even bother to contest his position as vice-chairman after being abandoned by key supporters.

Backroom deals

The conference was attended by 6,000 enthusiastic Kanu members from across the country.

But our correspondent says that for all the excitement, it seems the delegates stuck to a well-rehearsed script - the real decisions were made in the backrooms before the conference opened.

Odinga is the new general secretary

Kanu, which has ruled the country since independence in 1963, is at a low ebb.

Many Kenyans blame the government for the country's faltering economy.

Kanu strategists hope that by merging with the NDP, its junior coalition partner, they can revive their political fortunes.

The NDP is the third-largest party in Kenya's parliament.

Voting in Kenya is still largely split along ethnic lines, and Mr Odinga comes from one of Kenya's biggest tribes, the Luo.

Whoever emerges as the candidate of the new party will be hoping that the extra Luo votes will swing the election in his favour.