• Former secretary general Veronica Maina, Fatuma Shukri and Pamela Mutua have resigned after securing jobs in government.
• Those considered for the roles are Lucy Macharia, Prof Marete Marangu, Walter Nyambati, Jane Nampaso and James Waweru.
Image: FILE
Deputy President William Ruto has termed 'illegal' Jubilee Party's decision to make changes to one of its top decision-making organs.
In a tweet on Friday, Ruto castigated people he described as shadowy characters for making "illegal" changes at a time when Kenyans are focused on the war on Covid-19.
He said, "As Kenyans are focused on the Covid-19 pandemic, some shadowy characters are attempting to fraudulently institute illegal changes in officials of Jubilee party. As deputy leader I have alerted the registrar of the fraud. Party members should know that the matter is being handled."
In his letter to the Registrar of Political Parties, Ruto said that the changes to the National Management Committee is "illegal and fraudulent"
"Please take note that the National Executive Committee has never been reconstituted by the party and neither have we convened NEC to constitute or reconstitute NMC," Ruto said in his letter dated April 10.
The ruling political outfit had forwarded five new names to the National Management Committee following the exit of three others.
The committee currently has 13 members appointed by the party leader, President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The team is in charge of the day-to-day management of the party and sits more frequently than the National Executive Committee or the National Delegates Conference to make urgent and pressing decisions.
The move attracted protests from the party's MPs who argued that there has been no formal meeting to ratify the decision.
Letters seen by the Star from various MPs to the Registrar of Political Parties are demanding that the Gazette Notice announcing the changes be cancelled.
"Any changes involving the party in any way must be sanctioned by the relevant party organs through a formal meeting convened and resolutions passed," one of the letters by Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria states.
It adds; "The purported changes to the membership of the National Management Committee or any other organ of the party is illegal, fraudulent and affront to the values of the party."
Others who have written letters include Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wah, Soy MP Caleb Kositany, Langata MP Nixon Korir and Dagoretti MP John Kiarie.
Others are Mbeere North MP Muriuki Njagagua, North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamache, Mandera Senator Mohamed Mahamud and Majority Leader Aden Duale.
Former Secretary-General Veronica Maina, Fatuma Shukri and Pamela Mutua have resigned after securing jobs in government.
Those to join the committee are Lucy Macharia, Prof Marete Marangu, Walter Nyambati, Jane Nampaso and James Waweru.
In a Gazette notice on Friday, Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu published the party’s intention to make the changes and invited members of the public to present their submissions, if any, regarding the replacements.
“In exercise of the power conferred by Section 20 (1) (c) of the Political Parties Act, 2011, the Registrar of Political Parties gives notice that Jubilee Party intends to change its leadership,” the notice read.
"Any person with written submission concerning the intended change by the political party shall, within seven days from the date herein, deposit with the registrar of political parties."
Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju told the Star that the officials have been replaced because they secured jobs in government.
“Nobody has been sacked. All these people have left because they got some jobs in government which conflict with their positions as officials of the party,” he said.