Murathe, Kioni Officially Thrown Out Of Jubilee Party

The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) has confirmed the expulsion of Jeremiah Kioni and David Murathe from the Jubilee Party as its Secretary-General and Vice Chairman respectively.

The ruling made on Monday, July 10 saw the appointment of East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Kanini Kega as Jubilee SG upheld.

"The suit against the 2nd Respondent is hereby struck out. The Appeal is dismissed in its entirety.

"The Appellants shall bear the Respondents and Interested Parties' costs," read the ruling seen by Viral Tea.

The PPDT had found that the resolutions of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and the impugned decision of the Registrar of Political Parties were a product of processes, judicial and Administrative, in which the Appellants participated or were offered the opportunity to participate in.

The appellants were revealed to have filed affidavits, called witnesses (through affidavit evidence), produced further documentary evidence in terms of exhibits, were represented by eminent counsel, cross-examined the adverse party’s witnesses, and made submissions on the law and facts.

"Hearings, trials, opportunities and facilities were all along availed to the Appellants to fairly prosecute their cases. One cannot isolate the end product, the Registrar's letter of 19.5.2023, and fault it without a cursory or in-depth analysis of the processes preceding or informing that decision.

"If one views the entirety of the processes that were undertaken before the Registrar’s decision of 19.5.2023, then one would, without a doubt, reach the inescapable conclusion that the process was fair and above board," added PPDT.

PPDT also found that while the Registrar is not a conveyor belt of resolutions of Political Party organs, she is also not meant to supplant herself on decisions emanating from party organs, particularly those exercising judicial or quasi-judicial authority.

"In this case, in any event, the Registrar was judicious in her conduct, interrogated the facts and documents, and directed herself properly, both in law and fact.

"As a Registrar, and keeper of records, her fidelity is to the law and the decisions of party organs properly constituted, and their valid resolutions, notwithstanding that some members may be disgruntled," the ruling went on.

The ruling thus hopes to put to bed leadership wrangles that have been affecting the affairs of the former ruling party, which have seen the PPDT rule in favour of Kioni and Murathe on two occasions, saving their positions in the Jubilee Party.

In the last act of salvation, PPDT Chairperson Desma Nungo in a statement on Tuesday, May 23 handed former president Uhuru Kenyatta's party a temporary lifeline regarding the vicious scramble for its leadership.

However, ORPP had on Friday, June 2, dismissed the resolutions made during the Jubilee Party's National Delegates Conference (NDC) which saw the Uhuru faction expel Kega, Nominated MP Sabina Chege, Nelson Dzuya, Jimi Angwenyi, Naomi Shaban, Joshua Kutuny, Mutava Musyimi, and Rachel Nyamai.

The faction had proposed new members to the NEC and they included Beatrice Gambo (deputy Party leader strategy), Maoka Maore (deputy party leader operations), Joseph Manje (deputy party leader programs) Kados Muiruri (deputy party leader outreach), and Jamleck Kamau (national director of elections).

Others included; Saitoti Torome (party chairman), Yasir Noor (deputy secretary general), Pauline Njoroge (deputy organizing secretary, Maison Leshoomo (national women’s league chairperson), Agnes Thumbi (national youth league leader) and Nderitu Mureithi (business council leader).

Antony Manyara was picked as the youth secretariat coordinator while Amina Siyad was chosen to be the parliamentary secretary.

However, the Jubilee Party wing controlled by Chege on Thursday, June 1 held a disciplinary hearing and termed the Uhuru NDC resolutions null and void.

Kanini Kega with Sabina Chege addressing the media during a past conference. /FILE