New twist in Kiraitu’s Sh241m party price saga 

An outgoing official of a party Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi wants to acquire has said the outfit was broke by the time the county chief came calling.

The outgoing secretary-general, Dr Charles Jakait, dismissed demands by a colleague seeking a Sh274 million pay-out to surrender Restore and Build Kenya party.

Mr Aloysius Okoth Mondoh who claims to be a founding member of the outfit wants the governor to pay him “compensation” in running costs since the outfit was registered.

Mr Mondoh has filed an affidavit at the Political Parties Dispute Resolution Tribunal (PPDRT) contesting the takeover by new officials led by the secretary-general, Mr Mugambi Imanyara.

“Hon Kiraitu Murungi and his team would have to refund all expenses associated with RBK to date, which is Sh274,437,755.50 and continues to grow as we spend more money in litigation,” states the affidavit. 

But Dr Jakait has, however, accused Mr Mondoh of “dishonesty with the intent to extort or defraud” the governor, saying he’s not among the founding members. 

In his replying affidavit, he claims the complainant was a salaried executive officer of the party until he left voluntarily. He says the founding members were Reuben Kigame, Sidney Quantal (deceased) and himself. 

“The founders never authorised Mr Mondoh to demand Sh274 million from the respondents on our behalf.

Financially crippled

If it is true that the first complainant (Mr Mondoh) made the demand from the respondents so as to settle a court case purporting to have been acting on behalf of the founding members, then he did so dishonestly with the intent to extort or defraud the respondents herein,” the affidavit states.  

He wonders how Mr Mondoh arrived at the figure yet RBK was financially crippled and on the verge of deregistration due to failure to comply with the law. 

The party did not have a functional secretariat and had closed most of its branch offices for lack of funds. 

Dr Jakait has attached audited financial statements filed at the ORPP spanning 10 years that paint a picture of a struggling outfit operating at an annual budget of Sh10 million.

He says RBK was financially constrained and he “personally and single-handedly struggled over the years” to raise funds to make it compliant with the provisions of the Political Parties Act.

“Mr Mondoh has never been captured in the audited accounts in any particular year having contributed any money to the party. One of the reasons National Executive Council members opted to vacate office and invite new party officials was to put it in the hands of promoters who could shoulder the financial burden that was threatening its existence and compliance with the law,” says Dr Jakait.

Dr Jakait attached emails sent to him by Mr Kigame, who resigned from the party in March 2013 after he lost the Vihiga gubernatorial seat and those of Prof James Ole Kiyiapi, who contested the presidency.

Contesting takeover

In his email, Prof Ole Kiyiapi regretted abandoning the party after he lost the elections, adding that he initially objected to the takeover but later changed his mind after “a serious soul searching”.

“As the vision bearer, I take full responsibility for my acts of omission or commission in not remaining fully engaged with the team that believed in me. I believe the vision that burned in our hearts remains there, and will burn again in due course. We walked in the spirit and trusted in the Lord,” he wrote on August 4.

“Whatever the failings have been, time will heal our wounded souls. The Lord is our restorer. This morning, I have asked everyone who complained to ORPP (including myself) that we will not fight the changes in RBK. I have also informed the Registrar accordingly.

“Let the Lord deal with RBK according to His will. Let the Lord heal and strengthen the weakened bonds of love. Let Him so tie us together with holy bonds that cannot be broken. Amen.”

Dr Jakait says he was convinced that a statement Prof Ole Kiyiapi filed at the tribunal contesting the takeover was an afterthought.

All the parties are set to appear before the tribunal on November 8 for submissions and further direction.
Mr Murungi has already rebranded RBK to Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP) with a bus symbol. He had used a similar sign with Alliance Party of Kenya (APK), which closed shop to join Jubilee Party in 2016. 

He hopes to rope in politicians in the Mt Kenya East counties of Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, parts of Isiolo and Meru. The governor will use the outfit to negotiate for the interests of the region, which will chart its own political path “after years of exploitation by the West”.

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