Mass action: Kioni faction allows Jubilee Party employees to take Monday off

Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni

Embattled Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni.
 

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

The Jubilee Party leadership division has intensified with one faction led by former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni urging its staff members to keep off work on Monday and instead attend the Azimio la Umoja Coalition demonstrations in Nairobi.

In a statement, Mr Kioni, who has served as the Jubilee Secretary General, said all the members of the staff should show support and observe Monday as a public holiday as announced by Azimio leader Raila Odinga.

“I urge you as the party officials and in your individual capacity to turn up and show support for the people’s grand march on that day,” read the statement.

The statement, which was shared on the party’s Twitter handle, also said that all the Jubilee party offices across the country will remain closed on Monday.

Social media handles

A faction of the Jubilee party led by Mr Kioni seems to have maintained its hold of the party’s social media handles that has close to half a million social media followers.

They have been using the platform to inform their followers about Azimio rallies across the country.

Mr Kioni had last month been replaced by East African Legislative Assembly legislator Kanini Kega as SG in an acting capacity following a National Executive Council (NEC) decision.

Despite protests from Mr Kioni's faction, the Office Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) Anne Nderitu agreed with the NEC decision.

Mr Kioni is allied to former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Azimio coalition while the other officials led by Kanini Kega are allied to President William Ruto and Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

The party was last year given Sh135 million by the ORPP to fund its activities.

It also recently moved from its headquarters in Pangani to Kileleshwa following a dismal performance in the August 2022 polls.