The storm in the Jubilee Party took an unexpected turn on Tuesday after the Registrar of Political Parties upheld last week’s leadership changes.
In a letter, Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu said the Jubilee National Executive Council meeting held in Nakuru on February 10 adhered to the party’s constitution and was thus properly convened.
The communication by the arbiter of political party affairs fans the flames of revolution in former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s party and scuttles attempts by embattled leaders to kick out some of its members who have aligned themselves with President William Ruto.
Jubilee, an affiliate party of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya, is split between a faction allied to the coalition’s leader Raila Odinga and another one supporting Kenya Kwanza administration which successfully removed former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni as secretary general and David Murathe as vice chairperson.
“The office has taken note of the contents of your submissions and the resolutions. It is also noted that the meeting was properly convened as per the party constitution,” Nderitu states in the letter to Jubilee Deputy Secretary General Joshua Kutuny.
The resolutions of that meeting, which have been protested by Kioni, also saw Kagwe Gichohi removed as Jubilee National Treasurer. The NEC meeting also considered Jubilee’s exit from Azimio.
The party picked East African Legislative Assembly MP Kanini Kega as secretary general, Eldas MP Adan Keynan as vice chairperson while Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai took Gichohi’s place in an interim capacity.
But the RPP cautioned about the exit from Azimio, insisting that it must follow the provisions of the coalition agreement.
“With respect to exiting from the coalition political party, kindly observe the provisions of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition agreement and the role of respective party organs,” she notes.
Even as the RPP ratifies his removal from office, Kioni insists that the officials are forcing Uhuru to work with Ruto by taking his party to him.
He said the party’s constitution requires the Secretary General to convene the NEC.
Jubilee Chairperson Nelson Dzuya was present at the NEC meeting last Friday and led in issuing the statement announcing the suspension of the other officials.
Jubilee has kicked off parallel disciplinary processes: one targeting the members leading the rebellion and another targeting Kioni, Murathe, and Gichohi who were removed from office for misconduct.
One of Jubilee’s first actions after its MPs met President Ruto at State House was to summon them to show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against them. The party said it did not approve of their engagement with the President.
The letters were signed by Kioni, who is also Chairperson of Jubilee’s Disciplinary Committee, and were shared by the party’s social media accounts.
“We are in receipt of a petition from one of our members of the party accusing you of among other things: acting in a manner disloyal to the Jubilee Party and advanced positions that are contrary to the position of the party,” read the letter.
“This is to notify you that the said petition has been forwarded to the Party Disciplinary Committee as provided for by our Party Constitution to process and they will be contacting you in due course.”
Yet Kioni on Tuesday found himself on the other end of the stick, as Jubilee, under the direction of Deputy Secretary General Kutuny said he and the other two suspended officials will face disciplinary action.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale said the MPs can only lose their seats if they resign on their own accord. He said that before the party forces them out, a court of law should have deemed them to have resigned.
Further, Dr Khalwale argued that the Azimio MPs engaging with Ruto were doing something Raila himself has done, citing the handshake with former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
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