Nairobi — Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has defied a legally-mandated exit from politics convening a contested Jubilee Party National Delegate Conference (NDC) bringing together expelled officials.
Kenyatta who is expected by law to have retired as a leader of political party will host a beleaguered axis of the former ruling party at Nairobi’s Ngong racecourse on Monday.
Bomas of Kenya, Kenyatta’s preferred venue, was reported to be unavailable due to what its management termed as scheduled routine maintenance.
“Notice is hereby given that the venue of the Jubilee NDC has been moved to Ngong Racecourse in Nairobi,” Kenyatta who unsuccessfully backed opposition leader Raila Odinga to succeed him announced in a notice dated May 20.
“All other details remain as per the notice published on April 29, 2023.”
The last-minute change of venue despite initial defiance against a letter from Bomas of Kenya came amid a sustained onslaught by the party’s lawmakers having since shifted allegiance to President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance-led Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
Leadership coup
The group led by East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Kanini Kega convened party organ meetings which ratified leadership changes which saw Kenyatta “retired” as Party Leader with all his allies toppled.
Kega replaced Jeremiah Kioni as Secretary General pending the convening of an NDC to formally constitute the party’s leadership.
Others expelled are Vice Chairpersons David Murathe and National Treasurer Kagwe Gichohi who was suspended for two years.
The Kega-led faction which controls all of Jubilee’s elected Members of Parliament dismissed Kenyatta’s intended NDC as inconsequential.
This even as Kioni termed alleged attempts to deny his faction a avenue for the NDC as an “expensive experiment on multiparty democracy.”
Kioni on Thursday claimed the Kenya Kwanza was attempting to interfere with the Jubilee party.
“The Kenya Kwanza regime wants to take away this jealousy-protected right. The Jubilee Party NDC scheduled for May 22 remains on course,” he said.