Jubilee to hold National Delegates Conference in May as dispute rocks party

Jubilee Party Leader and former President Uhuru Kenyatta at the party Headquarters on April 26, 2023. [Standard]

Jubilee Party is expected to hold a special National Delegates Conference on May 22, 2023.

In a circular on Saturday, April 29, party leader Uhuru Kenyatta said the agenda of the conference is to review and formulate party policies.

"Notice is hereby issued for Special National Delegates Convention to be held on May 22, 2023, to review, formulate and approve party policies," the former president stated.

The special meeting will also seek to review a report from Jubilee's National Executive Committee (NEC) and other rising matters.

The meeting comes in the back of continued wrangles within the party, now playing out in the public.

Seemingly, the party is split into two, with one faction in support of Acting Secretary-General Kanini Kega, and the other, Jeremiah Kioni.

A letter by the Party's National Chairperson Nelson Dzuya dated Friday, April 28, revealed more disputes, purporting that Kenyatta called for a NEC meeting yesterday, attended by suspended officials including Kioni, David Murathe, and Kagwe Gichohi.

Earlier in the week, supporters of Kega and Kioni clashed outside the party headquarters in Kileleshwa, Nairobi, prompting Uhuru to make an appearance to quell the tension.

Police lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse the warring factions who had forcefully tried to storm the party's offices.

This occurred as Kega and Kioni were scheduled to meet to address their differences, following a directive from the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal (PPDT) that the two parties resolve their issues internally.

On February 9, Jubilee's NEC suspended Jeremiah Kioni as its SG and replaced him with East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Kanini Kega.

The party also resolved to kick out David Murathe as its National Vice-Chairperson and replaced him with Eldas MP Adan Keynan.