Uhuru storms out of silence to stop Ruto's bid to take over party

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta when he arrived at Jubilee Party Headquarters after a faction tried to take over on April 26, 2023. [Samson Wire, Standard Straight from receiving a peace award, former President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday walked into chaos at the Jubilee Party headquarters in Nairobi to affirm he was still in charge. Uhuru, who has kept a low profile since he handed over power on September 13, came out to fight for the party he revamped, as members allied to President William Ruto sought to take over. The proxy war seeks to sway the third largest party in parliamentary strength to Ruto's Kenya Kwanza Alliance to deny Uhuru's Azimio la Umoja One Kenya side, led by Raila Odinga, numbers. At least 30 Jubilee MPs have vowed to work with President Ruto. Rattled by the attempted hostile takeover at the party's headquarters in Lavington, Nairobi, the retired President insisted that former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni was the secretary general. "We shall have our meeting and the membership of the party will decide the future of the party. We do not need to be governed or pushed by the police. We will in the end make our decision," he said. His visit follows leadership wrangles that have persisted after the East African Legislative Assembly MP Kanini Kega insisted he is the bonafide secretary general following the purported ouster of Kioni by the National Executive Council (NEC), the top decision-making organ, in February. Party's vice chairman David Murathe was also said to have been replaced by Eldas MP Aden Keynan. But Uhuru insisted that the party has a mechanism to deal with emerging issues. Kioni moved to court and secured orders stopping his removal, alongside other top party officials. "There is a procedure outlined on how an SG should be removed and that process has not been followed," he said last week, "I'm the party SG so you should ignore those noise makers out there." Speaking hours after supporters of Kega and Kioni clashed, the retired Head of State condemned the wrangles. "Mimi nimekuja kusimama na yeye (Kioni) na wafuasi wa chama chetu ili kulinda haki cha chama chetu (I have come stand with Kioni and our supporters to defend our rights)," he said. He dared those dissatisfied to leave the party peacefully. "I want to thank you for standing strong and defending our party. We have no issue with anyone. They won and we respected that and handed over peacefully, now let them respect us and our rights as well," he said. He cautioned the police against being used politically and misusing their authority, urging them to uphold the law. "When taking oath of office you vowed to protect Kenyans. I urge you politely please do not allow yourselves to be used for political gain. Once that is done we will hurt as a country. Please consider the rights of Kenyans," he said. "Polisi wako na shughuli mingi, kazi ni mingi huko nje sio kukua hapa kwa Jubilee halafu muko hapa kunyang'anya watu chama yao (Police officers have a lot to do for Kenyans, not coming to help people take over the party," he said. "Jamani hata sisi hii sio nyumba yetu ni kukodesha tumekodesha, na kuna majirani ambao mnawatupia teargas ili mchukue nyumba kwa nguvu. Hio sio haki (We are just tenants and you have no right to lob teargas canisters at neighbours so that you can forcefully take over the party." Following the chaos, the landlady yesterday ordered the party to leave the premises. "Today, as you are aware goons descended on Dikdik Gardens due to your occupation of my premises. Take note that as of today April 26, your lease is terminated and you need to vacate immediately," said EW Mbote in a letter. "Your tenancy has exposed our neighbours and neighbourhood to unwarranted insecurity." The wrangles are not likely to be over soon, as the two sides flex their muscle. Kioni has vowed to fight his ouster. However, Keynan asked the former Ndaragwa MP to step down as he awaits the hearing of the matter before the relevant party organ. "We want you to accept that you are the former SG and this party has a constitution and please don't be a nuisance to the neighbours here," he said. Kega told Kioni that the judgement of the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal to have him kicked out remains in place. "The party's national disciplinary committee has already been convened. In fact he (Kioni) has himself publicly pronounced that he intends to refer a complaint before the committee against some officials of the party," the Eala MP said. From a party that once sent its members to benchmark with the Chinese Communist Party to one that cannot agree on routine matters such as fielding a candidate in a by-election, Jubilee has come a long way. In 2018, the party sent a high powered delegation to Beijing, China, that included then Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi, Secretary General Raphael Tuju and Vice Chair Murathe. Also in the entourage were county coordinators who would help build the party from the grassroots. Had this plan to form a mega party succeeded, Jubilee would have become the biggest political institution in Kenya since the Kanu days. Today, however, all these plans lie in ruins. The blitz and the chest thumping is gone, and the party is just hanging on. Jubilee was formed following the merger of 11 political parties that included Uhuru's The National Alliance and Ruto's United Republican Party. Others were the Jubilee Alliance Party, New Ford Kenya, United Democratic Forum, National Rainbow Coalition, Ford People, the Republican Congress Party, Tip Tip, the United Party of Kenya, the Grand National Unity and the Party of National Unity.

Uhuru storms out of silence to stop Ruto's bid to take over party

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