Kioni Handed Boost In Push To Retake Jubilee From Ruto
The ruling by the tribunal saw any changes aimed at restructuring the party...
Marvin Chege 
Former Ndaragwa Member of Parliament Jeremiah Kioni was on Thursday, February 16 handed a reprieve after the Political Parties Tribunal suspended the decision of the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) to ratify his ouster as the Jubilee Party's Secretary General.
The ruling by the tribunal saw any changes aimed at restructuring the party following the exit of Kioni and David Murathe halted pending the hearing and determination of the matter on February 24.
It will also affect other leadership changes ratified by the National Executive Council meeting's resolutions on February 10, handing Kioni and Murathe a chance to retake the helm of the Jubilee Party from the splinter group.
Kanini Kega with Sabina Chege on November 17, 2022. /FACEBOOK.SABINA CHEGE
"Pending inter partes hearing and determination of the application, interim conservatory orders are hereby issued staying the Respondent’s decision communicated vide the letter dated February 13, 2023, to the effect that the meeting was properly convened per the party constitution and further staying any consequential action by the Respondent towards effecting, adopting or ratifying the resolutions of the subject meeting," the orders read in part.
"We want to thank those within the judiciary who still believe that there is a country and institutions must be seen to be free and fair," Kioni spoke after the ruling.
It came almost a day after Azimio la Umoja coalition leader, Raila Odinga poked holes at the ORPP led by Anne Nderitu regarding the party's National Executive Council (NEC) which was convened on Friday in Nakuru by the party’s national chairman Nelson Dzuya, whereby she ruled that the meeting was properly constituted as per the Jubilee’s Constitution.
Raila lamented that Jubilee officials were not given a chance to respond to a letter issued to the ORPP by a section of members of the Jubilee party claiming that the meeting they had with President William Ruto was properly convened.
“The police are being used to try and interfere with political parties. You know that some other members of our party Jubilee had defected to Kenya Kwanza and stated that they were no longer going to be part of Azimio.
“Now the same people went and stated that they were taking over the latter to the registrar of political parties to say that the meeting was properly convened but that matter itself has not been concluded,” he stated.
Nderitu had handed a significant blow to Kioni in response to him by referring him to Jubilee’s Constitution on the duties of various national party officials hence validating the NEC.
“Upon review of your letter in line with the party constitution, this Office draws your attention to the following provisions of the JP constitution; article 10.5 on the duties of the Secretary-General, article 10.6 on the duties of the Deputy Secretary-General, Article 8.2(0) on the powers of the NEC, article 23 on quorum and Article 29(5) on the general leadership provisions,”
“Upon review of the documents of the NEC meeting submitted to this office by the Deputy Secretary General, it is noted that they have met the requisite threshold of convening and holding a meeting. The party has been advised to invoke the provisions of the party constitution on Internal Dispute Resolution Mechanism (IDRM) and party discipline to resolve the raised issues,” stated Nderitu.
Jubilee Party had resolved to suspend Kioni, Murathe, and Kagwe Gichohi as Secretary General, Vice chairman and national treasurer respectively.
