Uhuru Makes Last Minute Change on Attending PG Meeting

President Uhuru Kenyatta during a meeting with Permanent Representatives of various countries to the United Nations on Tuesday, June 16, 2020
President Uhuru Kenyatta during a meeting with Permanent Representatives of various countries to the United Nations on Tuesday, June 16, 2020
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In an unanticipated change of plans, President Uhuru Kenyatta is set to attend the Jubilee Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting in person on Monday, June 22, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.

Initial communication to Jubilee legislators had indicated that they would gather at the KICC with Uhuru to address them via video link from State House.

Jubilee Party Vice-Chair David Murathe, however, confirmed to Kenyans.co.ke on Monday, June 22, that the President had chosen to attend the meeting in person to engage the party members.

David Murathe during a press conference
David Murathe during a press conference at his Garden Estate home in Nairobi on January 6, 2018.
Daily Nation

"Yes, the President will be attending the KICC meeting in person. The communication has been shared," he noted.

The legislators were informed via text message on Sunday, June 21, that the President would arrive at the KICC at 9 a.m. Lawmakers invited for the meeting were urged to be seated by 8.45 a.m. 

Murathe further rubbished reports alleging that he had warned Jubilee lawmakers of unspecified action if they failed to attend the PG meeting.

The widely circulated fake statement had attracted the attention of allies of Deputy President William Ruto including Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi who vowed not to attend.

Several media houses issued apologies to Murathe on Sunday, June 21, after publishing the fake warning. Sudi, however, maintained that he would not attend the meeting as he did not want to be insulted.

Sudi predicted that the meeting would involve threats and intimidation from President Kenyatta towards supporters of the DP.

"I will not attend tomorrow's PG meeting at KICC as I said two weeks ago, I'm a middle-aged man but I cannot allow anybody to insult me.

"We have given the president an open arm to do any changes that what he wants, there is no reason for calling for a PG meeting," he maintained.

Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri also vowed not to take part in the forum citing alleged insults from the President at their last PG meeting.

I am not going because I want to remind Kenyans about our first PG meeting after elections. He insulted us and told us to leave.

"The recent PG we thought that he would come to unite people by calling for a ceasefire but he also insulted us," he stated.

The meeting is expected to see lawmakers endorse the ouster of Aden Duale from his position as Majority Leader, as the purge in Jubilee continues.

Oscar Sudi
Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi addressing the press at his home in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County
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