Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has regained the control of Jubilee Party following a court ruling made on Monday, September 30 in favor of embattled Vice Chair David Murathe.
This was after the High Court overturned the expulsion of Uhuru’s loyalists David Murathe and Jeremiah Kioni who served as Vice Chairman and secretary general respectively.
As such, the High Court failed to recognize the rebel faction led by the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament Kanini Kega as leader of the former ruling party.
The two factions have been involved in court battles concerning the leadership of the Jubilee party.
Murathe – Kanini faction stalemate
The leadership stalemate between Kioni and Kega factions began some months after the 2022 general elections.
At one point, former President Uhuru Kenyatta had to resolve a dispute that arose between the Kioni faction and the Kanini faction outside the party headquarters in Kileleshwa, Nairobi.
A High Court in Nairobi, on July 23, reinstated the leadership of Jeremiah Kioni and his counterpart David Murathe after the Registrar of Political Parties, Ann Nderitu, issued a gazette notice handing the leadership mantle to Sabina and Kanini.
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Justice Asenath Ongeri had suspended the gazette notice by Nderitu and granted conservatory orders preventing Kioni and the former Gatanga MP from being ousted as Jubilee leaders.
Kioni and Murathe had moved to court after the EALA legislator had expelled them from the party following a decision that was arrived at by the Jubilee Party’s Internal Disciplinary Committee which was adopted by the NEC.
Grounds the Vice Chair and Kioni were ousted
It is alleged that the Jubilee Vice Chair was found guilty of gross misconduct and lacked respect for the party’s decisions.
Additionally, Kioni and Murathe were accused of neglecting duties as directed by party organs.
Before going to court, Murathe and Kioni had gone to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) to resolve the leadership stalemate.
However, on July 10, 2023, PPDT upheld the appointment of Kanini Kega as the Secretary General of the Jubilee Party.
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The ruling not only affirmed the EALA member’s appointment but also upheld the expulsion of Uhuru allies.
Subsequently, the tribunal ruled that the Jubilee NEC which relieved Kioni of his duties as Secretary General was in the right capacity to do so as the meeting was properly convened and constituted.
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