Murathe: Uhuru’s Jubilee NDC on despite Bomas venue hitch

The Jubilee Party (JP) National Delegates Convention (NDC) convened by former President Uhuru Kenyatta will go ahead as planned despite the change of venue, embattled vice chairman David Murathe has said.

Mr Murathe told the Nation that Mr Kenyatta will preside over the special NDC, previously scheduled to be held at the Bomas of Kenya, at a yet-to-be-announced venue that will be advertised in local dailies ahead of Monday's event.

"Our meeting is on. We will advertise the venue and also invite our delegates through text messages. They will be notified beforehand," Mr Murathe said.

The announcement comes after a letter from Bomas of Kenya marketing and corporate communications manager Gladys Kangethe to JP acting executive director Polycarp Hinga indicated that the venue was not available.

In the letter, Ms Kangethe indicated that the main auditorium, which has a capacity of 2,000 people, was scheduled to undergo renovation works for eight weeks from May 16.

"As you are aware, we are currently hosting the Task Force Committees dealing with known and sensitive matters of national importance, while another client has already booked our other alternative hall," reads Ms Kangethe's letter to Mr Hinga, dated May 12.

It added: "In view of the foregoing, we are regretfully unable to accommodate you for your NDC on the 22nd of May."

But Mr Murathe downplayed the matter, saying JP had plenty of other options at its disposal.

"It is not a must we hold the NDC at Bomas. There are many venues and we are spoilt for choice," said Mr Murathe, with the event two days away.

Meanwhile, Nakuru JP branch leaders have thrown their weight behind the former president and vowed to attend the special NDC.

Led by branch chairman Joseph Gichuru, former chairman James Karimi and former Nakuru County Assembly speaker Joel Kairu, the politicians stressed the importance of the NDC to put the party in order.

"The special NDC has been called because of the interference in our party by Kenya Kwanza, we support it and we will be there to re-organise our party. All Nakuru sub-counties will be fully represented in the NDC," former Nakuru County Assembly Speaker, Mr Kairu, said.

Party is dead

"The Jubilee Party is still very strong; we call on Kenyans of goodwill to dismiss claims that the party is dead."

Mr Gichuru said the Nakuru branch was concerned about the interference with the party by the Kenya Kwanza administration.

"We will not sit back and watch Kenya Kwanza openly interfere with our party. We will visit the NDC to take instructions from our party leader and also participate in the cleansing of the party. On April 29, the party leader, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, called for the special meeting, which he said would be held on May 22," he said.

In a notice signed by Mr Kenyatta, the party said the agenda for the conference was to review, formulate and adopt party policies; receive a status report from the National Executive Committee; and consider and adopt any other business.

The notice was also posted on the party's Twitter handle.

The conference will begin at 10am.

However, in what is seen as an escalation of infighting in the former ruling party, a faction led by East African Legislative Assembly MP Kanini Kega last week suspended the NDC convened by Mr Kenyatta.

The Kega faction and another led by former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni are fighting for the soul of the former ruling party.

In a statement signed by Mr Kega, the group said the party would issue a notice calling for a special NDC.

Suspended the notice

"Please be advised that the Jubilee Party National Executive Committee (NEC) has suspended the notice for a Special National Delegates Conference published in the print media on April 29," read part of the communiqué signed by Mr Kega.

"The party will, in due course, issue a notice convening a Special National Delegates Conference in accordance with the NEC resolution of February 2023.”

A section of Jubilee members allied to Mr Kega, who is vying with former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni for the post of secretary general, have opposed the proposed NDC.

Earlier this month, the former president was ousted as Jubilee leader as infighting in the former ruling party escalated.

The Kega-led faction of the party said former Murang'a Woman Rep Sabina Chege was the new acting leader following a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Nairobi.

The party has been rocked by leadership wrangles after Mr Kega clashed with Mr Kioni, the former ruling party's secretary general.

Eldas MP Adan Keynan, the secretary of the party's parliamentary group, said the fate of the beleaguered Mr Kioni rests with the party's internal dispute resolution committee and Kitui South MP Raychel Nyamai, who is acting national treasurer.

This is after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal refused to set aside the NEC's decision to install Mr Kega as secretary-general alongside others, but nullified Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu's letter recognising them.

In its ruling on April 16, the court said the notice of the NEC meeting issued on February 2 and the subsequent NEC meeting on February 10 that installed Mr Kega were done in accordance with the party's constitution.

Ordered to vacate

Last month, the party was also ordered to vacate the premises it currently uses as its headquarters after factions of Mr Kega and Mr Kioni clashed.

This was after a group led by Mr Kega was seen throwing stones and other objects into the building in Kileleshwa after allegedly being denied entry.

Mr Kega was joined by nominated MPs Chege and Keynan, among others.

In a subsequent statement, the owner of the property ordered the party to leave the premises, claiming that they had breached the terms of the lease.

Mr Kioni, Mr Murathe and national treasurer Kagwe Gichohi had been suspended by Mr Kega’s faction for what it said was their bad management of the political organisation's affairs.