Former President Uhuru Kenyatta made a decisive appearance at the Jubilee Party headquarters in Nairobi on April 26, 2023, in an effort to mitigate the discord that had plagued the secretariat throughout the day. The ongoing feud between two factions within the party, both vying for control, has sparked significant unrest.
Upon his arrival, Kenyatta was greeted by Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni, a member of one of the disputing groups. The former president pledged to safeguard the party’s interests from those he referred to as “outsiders” and encouraged discontented members to leave if they wished. He commended Kioni for his steadfastness in the face of both internal and external opposition.
“I thank you for taking care of the party,” Kenyatta declared, emphasizing that his primary concern was the party’s wellbeing rather than any personal disputes.
Kenyatta went on to criticize the police presence at the party headquarters, arguing that their deployment was a misuse of resources. “The police have a lot of work to do, not coming to be a nuisance here… everyone has the rights, and that is what we’re trying to defend,” he stated.
The day’s earlier events saw supporters of East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Kanini Kega clashing with Kioni’s supporters over the party’s leadership. Despite Kega’s appointment as acting secretary-general by the National Executive Committee (NEC), he and his faction were denied entry to the party premises as Kioni maintained his position.
The Political Party Tribunal recently confirmed that the party had followed legal procedures in suspending Kioni and party vice-chairperson David Murathe. However, the takeover attempt by the opposing group was met with resistance.
EALA MP Adan Keynan, Eldas MP, and Nominated MP Sabina Chege are leading the Jubilee Party MPs who have aligned themselves with President William Ruto and his government. Following a recent meeting with the president and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, they agreed to collaborate moving forward.