Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta lost the battle over the Jubilee Party after the Office Of the Registrar Of Political Parties on Friday, May 19, confirmed that his wing was illegal.
The Registrar Of Political Parties, Anne Nderitu, confirmed to Kenyans.co.ke that she addressed her directive to Joshua Kutuny, Deputy Secretary General of the Kanini Kega faction allied to President William Ruto.
She also affirmed the leadership of Sabina Chege as party leader and Kanini Kega as Secretary General.
Likewise, ORPP noted that David Murathe, who served as Vice Chairman, had duly been expelled and deregistered as a member of the Jubilee Party.
"It is further noted that the party concluded the disciplinary processes against Hon. Jeremiah Kioni, Hon. David Murathe, and Mr. Kagwe Gichohi, wherein they participated in line with Section 14B (2) of the Political Parties Act, 2011 (PPA).
"Consequently, the party expelled Hon. Kioni, Hon. Murathe and suspended Mr. Kagwe. Following a review of the submitted documents in line with the PPA and the party constitution, this Office is satisfied that the party adhered to due process," read part of the letter from ORPP to Kutuny dated Friday, May 19.
Nderitu also confirmed that Jeremiah Kioni was duly expelled and deregistered from the party.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke Kutuny noted that, by way of the Office Of The Registrar Of Political Parties declaration, the National Delegates Conference held on Monday, May 21, at the Ngong Race Course was illegal.
"It, therefore, means that Uhuru-led National Delegates Conference and its resolutions are null and void," Kutuny stated, clarifying that Kega's wing was the legitimate leadership of the party," Kutuny stated.
Uhuru had also affirmed that he would not be threatened to quit or retire, urging the President William Ruto faction led by Kanini Kega (EALA MP) to leave the party.
"I wanted to leave politics and deal with other issues and had hoped to relinquish my position in such an NDC, but some people have decided to issue threats and use violence against us.
"Today I want to tell them to look for someone else to intimidate, not Uhuru wa Kenyatta," the former president underlined.
Lawyer Ndengwa Njiru, had on Tuesday, May 23, hinted at moving to court to counter any plans to force Uhuru into retirement.
Jubilee Party, Kenya's former ruling party, had been embroiled in leadership wrangles since the end of President Uhuru Kenyatta's second term in office.
The wrangles began in earnest in April 2023, when Uhuru and Ruto's allies held rival National Executive Council (NEC) meetings.
A majority of the party's elected officials attended Uhuru's NEC meeting, while a smaller group of loyalists attended Ruto's meeting.
The two factions have since been locked in a power struggle, with each side accusing the other of being illegitimate.
Uhuru's faction had accused Ruto of trying to take over the party by force, while the Ruto-leaning outfit had accused Uhuru of trying to sideline it.
