Gatundu South Member of Parliament, Moses Kuria, on Wednesday, April 15, issued a statement highlighting a blunder by Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, that sparked the current wrangles in the ruling party.
"By her own admission, the Registrar of Political Parties filed a gazette notice to change officials without any minutes of any NEC Meeting.
For the avoidance of doubt, only the Party Leader can convene a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. Hapa naona Tuju alimseti an innocent lady (it looks like Tuju fixed the innocent lady)," he stated in reference to the Registrar of Political Parties, Anne Nderitu.
The vocal legislator went on to share a photo of a letter sent out from the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties that was addressed to Tuju.
In the letter dated April 14, Nderitu requested the ruling party's Sec-Gen to avail documents regarding the minutes which were not in the possession of the office as per the law.
"Reference is made to the above subject matter and a to a letter received on April 14, 2020, requesting for information and documentation regarding Jubilee party,
Upon review of this letter, it is noted that some of the requested records of the Jubilee Party are not in the custody of this office.
In line with Section 17 and 18 of the Political Parties Act, 2011, your party is notified to comprehensively provide these particulars for inspection," the letter reads in part.
Deputy President William Ruto on 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 146 MPs and Senators had signed a petition to reject the changes within the party that were announced by the Sec-Gen.
"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," he stated.
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.
This sparked a series of protests by the DP and other party members, resulting in a letter of request written to Nderitu, demanding the documentation that engineered the fresh appointments.
In his statement, Ruto termed the proposed changes as fraudulent and illegal.
Kuria, while addressing the media on April 13, asserted that President Uhuru Kenyatta was within his rights to do whatever he wanted if it meant that the government was recognised by the cabinet.
"If the government is recognised by Cabinet Secretaries, let him appoint Raila Odinga, James Orengo, Francis Atwoli, Junet Mohammed and all those people, there is no problem. We don't have that power. The power is with Uhuru Kenyatta," he opined in a video that has since gone viral.
"So if Uhuru Kenyatta wants to appoint them what can we do, except to believe in God? We wait for our turn in 2022, we form a government and they respect us too," he added.
