Jubilee Threatens to Exit Azimio Over PSC Slot

Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party has threatened to leave Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance coalition party.

This was after its Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) nominee, Sirisia MP John Waluke, was locked out.

In a statement, the party said the opposition side had three slots that were going to be shared equally among Jubilee, Raila Odinga’s ODM and Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper.

But the opposition side presented three names; Likoni MP Mishi Mboko (ODM), Patrick Makau (Wiper), and Okong’o Omogeni (ODM), all of whom were approved by the House.

Read: Azimio Nominates Senator Omogeni to PSC, Drops Fatuma Dullo

In protest, Jubilee MPs Sabina Chege (nominated), Adan Keynan (Eldas), Sarah Korere (Laikipia North), Abdul Haji (Garissa), Ruweida Mohamed (Lamu East), Amos Mwago (Starehe), Fatuma Dulo (Isiolo) and Abdi Shuriye (Mbalambala) on Thursday said the former ruling party would review its relationship with other coalition partners.

“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,” said the minority chief whip.

Ms Korere, on her part said the party will not be treated as a second-class party as it was not forced into joining the coalition.

“We are very saddened by the political antics by 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,” Mr Korere said.

Read Also: Jubilee Nominates Convicted Sirisia MP Waluke as PSC Commissioner

Presenting their case before Speaker Moses Wetangula, Jubilee sought to have the process halted until it could agree with its partners.

However, Wetangula said his hands were tied as there was no mention of the sharing of the positions on the commission, as claimed by Jubilee.

“The horse has already bolted and the stable is already closed, my hands are tied with [the] law,” Mr Wetang’ula said.

In a letter dated November 2, Jubilee secretary general Jeremiah Kioni told the speaker that their representative was Waluke who is currently being held at the Kamiti Maximum Prison.

Read Also: Jubilee Nominates Convicted Sirisia MP Waluke as PSC Commissioner

Speaking to the Nation, the former Ndaragwa MP maintained that Jubilee had one slot in the powerful committee.

“Mr Waluke is our representative. Anything other than that can be done in other committees but not at the commission,” Mr Kioni said.

On Wednesday, ODM dropped Isiolo senator Fatuma Dullo from the PSC and replaced her with Nyamira’s Okong’o Omogeni.