Uhuru Blocked From Holding Special Jubilee Meeting

East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Kanini Kega, on Wednesday, May 10 suspended the special National Delegates Conference (NDC) that was called by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

In a notice, Kega, who claimed to act as the secretary general, noted that his decision was affirmed by the Jubilee Party's National Executive Committee (NEC).

A notice by the party dated Friday, April 28 revealed that the meeting was to take place at Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi on Monday, May 22, 2023.

“Take notice that the Jubilee Party National Executive Committee (NEC) has suspended the notice for a Special National Delegates Conference published in the print media on April 29,” read the notice in part.

Kega further noted that the former ruling party's NEC would convene a special meeting for all the party delegates in the coming days, after which he signed the notice off as the secretary-general.

“The party will in due course issue a notice convening a Special National Delegates Conference pursuant to the resolution of NEC dated February 2023,” he stated.

Kega's notice piled on the woes faced by the embattled party leader, who was sued by Former nominated MP Hassan Osman over the May 22 special NDC, claiming that Uhuru was in violation of the Constitution.

"I wish to state that the respondents have tried to purport to remove or change the party constitution, membership and leadership when the same is unlawful, illegal and unprocedural," he stated.

Other respondents sued, apart from Uhuru included, Jubilee Party, its secretary general, Jeremiah Kioni, and the party’s treasurer, Kagwe Gichohi, all of whom are yet to respond to the petition.

The NEC had kicked out both Kioni and Uhuru, with the latter replaced by nominated MP Sabina Chege and Kega assuming the roles of the former.

The appointment was thereafter rejected by Kioni, who is leading the Jubilee faction allied to Uhuru, stating that “The Jubilee Party Constitution does not envisage a situation where a rebel group can evict a party leader from his position. The rebel group's meetings in clandestine locations, the subsequent minutes and resolutions are null and void."

Kioni even wrote a letter to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties asking it not to recognise the new officials. 

Uhuru's woes at Jubilee began during his impromptu visit to Jubilee Party headquarters on Wednesday, April 26, where he challenged those members unhappy with the party's running of affairs to leave without causing havoc.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta addressing the media at Jubilee Party Headquarters on April 26, 2023. /JUBILEE PARTY