Kega-led Faction Wants Uhuru Removed as Jubilee Party Leader

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta is currently under fire from Jubilee Party faction that is associated with Eala MP Kanini Kega, to step down as party leader.

The national chairman Nelson Dzuya called for the involvement of internal party organs in the dispute between Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni and Kega a day after mayhem erupted at the former ruling party’s Nairobi headquarters.

From within the Azimio, Dzuya said, Uhuru has presided over a methodical emasculation of the Jubilee Party.

The former President is the Azimio Coalition Council chairman.

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“It is unacceptable that under his leadership, Jubilee Party should continue to be treated as a junior partner in the Azimio coalition,” said Dzuya.

“He (Uhuru) has never called or chaired any organ of Jubilee Party since the National Delegates Convention (NDC) held on February 26, 2022. It was therefore horrifying to see him emerge for the first time since that NDC in the manner in which he did yesterday.”

The chairman expressed regret that Uhuru had jumped to Kioni’s defense without first familiarizing himself with a Political Parties Disputes Tribunal decision.

Dzuya further asserted that the former President, in his capacity as the Azimio Council chair, had approved ODM’s appropriation of the Jubilee membership slot in the Parliamentary Service Commission.

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Additionally, ODM and the Wiper Democratic Movement held meetings of the Azimio Parliamentary Group without the participation of Jubilee lawmakers, and they fired Senator Fatuma Dullo from her position as the Senate Minority Whip.

He also brought to the fore the replacement of Nominated Senator Margaret Kamar on a Senate committee.

Dzuya also brought up the marginalization of Jubilee in the selection of important committees, such as the Budget Committee, and Azimio’s failure to propose party representatives for the bipartisan discussions committee.

“The government has publicly pronounced that he (Uhuru) is now enjoying retirement benefits in accordance with the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act. Section 6(1) of the said Act provides that a retired president shall not hold office in any political party for more than six months after ceasing to hold office as president,” he said.

“By operation of the law, therefore, it can be argued that he is no longer legally the party leader of Jubilee Party. That said, this is probably a matter that ought to be considered by the relevant party organs and a decision made for the benefit of the members of our party.”