Uhuru's Jubilee Threatens To Quit Azimio
The protest of Jubilee brings to the fore the series of leadership wrangles in Azimio since the 13th Parliament was formed following the August 9 elections.
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Former President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee Party could be on the verge of severing ties with Raila Odinga's Azimio la Umoja coalition on grounds of disrespect from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.
A section of Members of Parliament led by Nominated MP Sabina Chege felt that the Jubilee Party was shortchanged in terms of the sharing of the three available Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) slots.
They argued that the three slots were to be shared as follows; one each for Jubilee, Raila's ODM and Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper. However, Azimio had presented the names of Likoni MP Mishi Mboko (ODM), Patrick Makau (Wiper), and Okong’o Omogeni (ODM), all approved by Parliament.
Chege had poked holes in a last-minute decision to change the list of nominees to the Parliamentary Service Commission which saw Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo of Jubilee dropped in favour of Omogeni.
On Thursday, November 10 Chege, Adan Keynan (Eldas), Sarah Korere (Laikipia North), Abdul Haji (Garissa), Ruweida Mohamed (Lamu East), Amos Mwago (Starehe), Dullo and Abdi Shuriye (Mbalambala), angrily protested the move, adding that they would summon an urgent Parliamentary Group meeting to review the relationship of its partners.
"The decision taken by the Senate, therefore, negates the democratic space of political parties in Parliament as the net effect of the decision taken by the Senate rendered two slots to the Orange Democratic Movement Party,” Sabina Chege stated during a press conference.
“We, the leadership of the Jubilee Party across the political divide are saddened by this show of impunity and urge the Speakers of both Houses to suspend the approval of the nominees to PSC until the matter has been resolved by the minority coalition."
Korere warned of the consequences of being treated as a second fiddle by coalition partners, especially ODM, adding that they were not forced to join the Azimio coalition.
“We are very saddened by the political antics of our partners in Azimio. We were not coerced to join Azimio. We joined willingly and we will leave willingly because we have witnessed political banditry first-hand,” he said.
Keynan on his part argued that ODM had shown disregard towards Jubilee even though it was the second biggest party in Azimio. He was fighting for the slot as a commissioner.
“What is perturbing is not who seat in PSC but we are entitled to have a representative in the commission.
"We are the second biggest party in Azimio and this is not a favour, it’s our right. We are not going to be flowers girls or boys for anybody,” Keynan stated.
The Jubilee party had initially fronted incarcerated Sirisia MP John Waluke to the PSC before it was replaced by ODM.
Jubilee had protested the move to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, proposing that the process be halted until the minority puts its house in order. However, Wetangula responded to the letter from Jubilee by stating that the party had made the claims after the House had already pronounced itself.
Wetang’ula also viewed that the Azimio agreement that Jubilee is basing its claim on for a slot makes no mention of the sharing of the positions on the commission.
The protest of Jubilee brings to the fore the series of leadership wrangles in Azimio since the 13th Parliament was formed following the August 9 elections.
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