Former President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday, April 29, met his first political legal hurdle since signalling his return to active politics towards the end of April.
The former Head of State had taken a backseat from politics since handing over power on September 2022. He, however, made a political comeback on Friday, April 28, when he called for a Jubilee Party Special National Delegates Convention to make leadership changes.
The NDC, slated to take place on Tuesday, May 22, and expected to see some members expelled from the party, was met with resistance from the party’s Chairperson Nelson Dzuya.
Dzuya on Saturday, April 29, denounced the proposed NDC arguing that it did not follow the laid down procedures under Article 23 of the party’s constitution.
“The members of NEC entitled to attend are 21 and therefore, to meet the quorum requirement a NEC meeting cannot have less than nine members in attendance.
“Additionally, if the suspended officials were in attendance, their participation would be of no legal consequence and their numbers would not count,” Dzuya argued.
The Jubilee Party chairperson further remarked that Uhuru had no powers to convene an NDC meeting.
“Uhuru ceased being the leader of the party in March 2023, by operation of Section 6(1) of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act, which provides that a retired president shall not hold office in any political party for more than six months after ceasing to hold office as president,” Dzuya explained.
The former President, in his notice on calling for an NDC, stated that he had followed the laid down procedures.
“Pursuant to articles 8.1 and 10.1 of the Jubilee Party Constitution, notice is hereby issued for an NDC to be held on Monday, May 22,” the notice read in part.
According to the notice, the agenda of the meeting would be to review, formulate and approve party policies as well as receive a status report from NEC and approve any other matters.
Uhuru first caused a storm on Wednesday, April 26, when he stormed Jubilee Headquarters located in Kileleshwa, Nairobi County.
The former President defended the party's embattled Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni who is facing ouster, to be replaced by East African Legislative Assembly Member of Parliament Kanini Kega.
At that time, Uhuru castigated the planned ouster and told off the Kega-led faction remarking that they were free to leave the party instead of causing infighting.
"I was called by Kioni and he informed me what was happening. I said I had to come to stand in solidarity with him and party members to protect our party.
"Let us follow the law and live peacefully. There is no need to incite a group of people against others," Uhuru stated back then.
