By NJERI RUGENE 
and DAVID MUGONYI 

The new Kanu-NDP merger team yesterday took over a key function of the task force set up by President Moi and Mr Raila Odinga at the New Year.

The 17-man team, which is dominated by powerful Kanu politicians, will harmonise their constitutions to pave way for a union. The move was announced yesterday and appears to render the parallel four-man task force redundant.

Team leader Njoroge Mungai said his committee would, among other things, study the structures of Kanu and NDP to work out how to "harmonise" them.

One of the mandate of the committee comprising Prof Henry Mwanzi, Mr Jonah Bett, Mr Rateng Oginga Ogego and Mr Joseph Kibati was to "harmonise" the parties' policy documents. 

It was also charged with studying the parties' delegates' lists before a joint election and prepare a common stand on the Constitution.

Briefing the press after a three-hour meeting, Dr Mungai said his group would draft a final document after studying the two constitutions and policy structures. 

"We have made very good progress today and have decided to look into both Constitutions which are essentially similar,'' he said.

Their decision contradicts an earlier explanation by NDP leader Raila Odinga that the team would only restrict itself to political and election matters.

Mr Odinga had said that the four-man task force was charged with technical issues and that the two groups had distinct mandates and they "were not going to disagree". 

Immediately after its appointment on Monday, some Kanu stalwarts in the committee indicated that their committee was superior to the four-man task force.

The Nation also learnt that Dr Mungai's committee had not been in contact with the task force set up after the New Year negotiations in Mombasa.

Yesterday's meeting, held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, was attended by all committee members.

They are Dr Mungai, Cabinet Ministers- Joseph Kamotho , Nicholas Biwott, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi, Prof Sam Ongeri, Katana Ngala. Others were assistant ministers Mohammed Affey, Fred Gumo and former minister Ndolo Ayah and Mr Paul Hato, Thika kanu branch vice chairman.

NDP representatives were MPs Otieno Kajwang', Dr Oburu Odinga, Orwa Ojode and NDP secretary-general Sospeter Ojaamong', executive director John Kiema and women's leader Seth Mweu.

Separately, Mr Odinga appeared to dismiss some of his own MPs' dissatisfaction with the new team.

"Those who are opposed to the merger committee headed by Dr Njoroge Mungai are detractors. These are people who are evidently not with us. They are evidently pulling in different ways," Mr Odinga said after receiving a visiting Chinese delegation at his Nyayo House office.

Mr Odinga was reacting to allegations that some of his party's members were opposed to the committee being chaired by Dr Mungai whom they accuse of having "emasculated" the Luo community during the Kenyatta regime.

The committee has already appointed two joint secretaries. They are Foreign Affairs assistant minister Mohammed Affey (Kanu) and NDP Secretary General Sospeter Ojaamong.