Ruto Shows Off Might in Battle to Control Jubilee [VIDEO]

Deputy President William Ruto addressing a gathering, February 17, 2020.
Deputy President William Ruto addressing a gathering, February 17, 2020.
DPPS

Deputy President William Ruto on the evening of Tuesday, April 14, shared evidence of what could be termed as a first-round win in the escalating Jubilee Party turf wars aimed at changing the party's leadership.

In a tweet, the DP claimed that since Jubilee Party Secretary-general Raphael Tuju apparently launched the plan to oust him from the party, some 146 MPs and senators had signed a petition to reject the changes.

Some of the notable leaders on the list include Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, Soy MP Caleb Kositany, who also holds a leadership position within the party, Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen and his National Assembly counterpart Aden Duale.

In his statement, Ruto termed the proposed changes as fraudulent and illegal.

Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju poses with former Soy MP Caleb Kositany and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwah at his home in Karen, Nairobi on March 16, 2020
Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju poses with former Soy MP Caleb Kositany and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwah at his home in Karen, Nairobi on March 16, 2020
Twitter

"70%(146 elected MPs and Senators) have rejected the fraudulent and illegal attempted changes by heartless gangsters taking advantage of the Coronavirus (pandemic) when Kenyans are anxious about their health and survival. They are not President Uhuru's men. These are crooks," stated the DP.

In a Gazette Notice dated April 6, the Registrar of Political Parties announced that the ruling party intended to change members of the National Management Committee (NMC), who would be replaced by; Lucy Nyawira Macharia, Prof. Marete Marangu, Walter Nyambati, Jane Nampaso, and James Waweru.

The sparked a series of protests by DP Ruto, culminating in a letter he wrote to the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu on Friday, April 10.

“I have noted a gazette notice…purporting to change the membership of Jubilee party’s NMC. Please note that NMC has never been reconstituted by the party and neither have we convened the National Executive Committee to reconstitute NMC.

"The intended changes of the NMC membership are, therefore, illegal and fraudulent,” read the letter in part.

Tuju, in his defence, argued that the changes were prompted after a number of officials landed jobs in government.

"The letter to make the changes was written on 23rd March and noise around the reply by the registrar is unwarranted," argued Tuju.

Leaders allied to Ruto have, on the other hand, claimed that the changes are aimed at kicking Ruto out of Jubilee Party.

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