Twin court win revives Jubilee party

Two court wins over the soul of the Jubilee party, ODM rapprochement with the government, and the implosion in the mountain have created perfect circumstances for the return of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta. 

Upon his retirement as Kenya’s fourth President, Kenyatta kept off local politics concentrating on regional and international assignments as the process to rescue Jubilee boiled in courts. 

His last political statement was during the June “Gen Z” protests when he said that “Kenya is bigger than any of us” and that “there is nothing cast in stone that cannot be changed”. 

Last week, Kenyatta and his wing of Jubilee scored a twin victory in court, paving the way for his control of the party. In the first win, the court declared as nullity the notice and process through which his allies were suspended from the party. 

Through the notice early last year, Kenyatta’s faction of Jeremiah Kioni, David Murathe and Kagwe Gichohi was suspended from the party, and the former two were later expelled for good.   

The moves were affirmed by all relevant authorities including the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal and the Registrar of Political Parties. This firmly placed the leadership of the party to its Nominated MP Sabina Chege, who forged a close alliance with the Kenya Kwanza administration. 

In the second win, the Employment and Labour Relations Court asked seven Jubilee party officials to choose between their party posts and state appointments dished out to them due to their support for Kenya Kwanza. 

The seven; deputy party leaders Naomi Shaban, Jimmy Angwenyi, and Peter Mositet, Deputy Secretary General Joshua Kuttuny, National Chairperson Nelson Dzuya, Deputy Organising Secretary Rev Mutava Musyimi, and city businessman Joel Kibe were given 30 days to make the choice.  

The Court said it was untenable for the seven to remain as party officials while also serving as State officers. Taken together, the two court decisions are a major setback to the Chege faction which had consolidated its hold on the party for the last one year. 

At the height of the squabbles last year, Chege’s faction forcefully took over the party, physically ejecting Kioni from their Kileleshwa office and replacing him with Kanini Kega. 

In quick succession, Chege’s faction announced that they had withdrawn from the deed of agreement for the Azimio coalition, further dealing Kenyatta’s win a blow. 

The intrigues spilt over to Parliament, with National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula recognising the party as a Parliamentary Party and assigning Chege the Party Whip designation.  

“Consequently, Sabina Chege by the written support of 21 out of 28 members of Jubilee members and on account of having been the last officially recognised member of the Jubilee party forming part of the leadership is allowed to perform in the interim the role of the Whip of that party in the House.” 

With the twin blows in court last week, it is interesting to see how the two factions will process the developments, and who makes the first move. Kenyatta’s side, so far, appears not to be interested in further tussling. 

“We have no problem with those who caused conflict. We welcome them with open hands so that we can go and engage the people in the grassroots. Our hands are wide open,” said Kioni in a statement last week.