Jubilee reinstates Laikipia Majority Leader and his deputy

Peter Thomi patrick waigwa

Governor Ndiritu Muriithi (left) greets Laikipia County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Thomi (right) as Speaker Patrick Waigwa (in red tie) watches.

Photo credit: File | Mwangi Ndirangu | Nation Media Group

Jubilee Party has reinstated Laikipia County Majority Leader Peter Thomi and his deputy Mutahi Muritu after ousting them.
On April 21 this year, Mr Thomi and Mr Muritu were axed from their positions and replaced by MCAs Joseph Kiguru (Igwamiti) and Ms Veronicah Ikunyua (Nanyuki Town) respectively.

But in a letter dated September 13, and addressed to House Speaker Patrick Waigwa, the party’s National Management Committee (NMC) indicated that it had retained the two leaders.

“The Leader of Majority Peter Thomi and the Deputy Majority Leader Mutahi Muritu shall retain their respective positions in leadership,” Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju said in the letter copied to Assembly Clerk Jasper Mutuiri and Governor Ndiritu Muriithi.

Mr Tuju noted that the committee had made the resolution on the House leadership after wide consultation.

The two had been removed after Majority Whip Charubo Kaparo convened a meeting with Jubilee members and a communication was made to the Speaker.

Mr Thomi (Githiga MCA) had served as Majority Leader since 2013. He had also been ejected from being a member of the County Assembly Public Service Board (CAPSB). Minority Leader Jacob Edom, who is also the Sosion MCA, was also removed from the board.

Changes in the composition of the board saw Mr Thomi and Mr Endom replaced by MCAs Daniel Mugweru (Umande) and Catherine Kibue (nominated).

But since then, there has been prolonged tussle and division in the Assembly with each party claiming to retain their respective positions. Mr Thomi and Mr Muritu protested to the top party leadership, claiming their removal was not procedural.

In May, Mr Tuju waded into the wrangles by sending the party's director of Legal Affairs Franklin Mwendani and regional director John Melita to resolve the impasse.

At the time, Mr Mwendani said the party had resolved to retain the new House leadership until a resolution was reached by the party's NMC.

He promised to reconstitute the House committees’ membership so as to factor in the Constitutional requirement of gender balance, regional representation and consideration of youths, women and persons with disability.

He said a selection committee would be constituted to hold a meeting with Mr Tuju at Jubilee headquarters to iron out the matter.