Why Tuju, Murathe fate lies with Uhuru

The fate of top officials of the Jubilee Party, including secretary general Raphael Tuju and vice chairman David Murathe, lies with President Uhuru Kenyatta. 

Top Jubilee officials are set to meet on Thursday as part of the ongoing engagements to set the agenda for the party’s National Delegates Convention later this month. 

The Star has established that a joint meeting of the National Management Committee and the parliamentary leadership on Monday resolved that Uhuru will have the final say on the duo. 

Tuju and Murathe have been under pressure from some Uhuru allies to resign from their powerful posts as part of the party’s revamping strategy ahead of the 2022 general election. 

However, it has emerged that the NMC meeting with MPs agreed that the removal of the two could only be included as part of the agenda of the NDC if the President okays it. 

“It is the President who has the full mandate to set the agenda for the NDC and once he does that, then the delegates will pronounce themselves,” Kieni MP Kanini Kega said. 

There are indications that the NDC notice will be out before the end of the week in what would set the stage for a delegates’ summit later this month. 

The NMC is expected to brief the President about preparations for the NDC once he is back from Scotland so that he can give the secretariat the approval to formally issue notice for the summit. 

Jubilee Coalition Joint Parliamentary Group secretary Adan Keynan, who is in Glasgow, Scotland alongside the President, said the party leadership will hold a meeting with the head of state upon his return to brief him on critical developments leading up to the NDC.

"I cannot overrule a discussion on the Jubilee-ODM coalition and likelihood of extending the same to our like-minded partners being on the table," he said.

Keynan added, "It is a matter on which we need the party leader's input before we allow our members the final say at the NDC."

The Jubilee Party constitution requires that the secretary general gives a notice of 21 days notifying delegates of the planned NDC and the agenda of the meeting prior to the summit. 

Rocked by vicious political wars, the ruling outfit is convening a meeting of the party’s highest decision-making organ-NDC-to among other things, elect new national office bearers. 

The NDC expected to be held later this month, is also expected to ratify the proposed 2022 coalition agreement with opposition chief Raila Odinga’s ODM party. 

On Tuesday, nominated MP Maina Kamanda told the Star that the ruling party will approach the planned restructuring of the outfit with an open mind not to ‘scatter’ any member. 

“We have agreed to pursue reconciliation because we believe that every member has done his work and there is no need for any infighting at this point when we are planning how to revamp the party,” he said. 

Kamanda, who also attended the Monday meeting revealed that any changes in the party’s leadership must be sanctioned by the President. 

“It is the boss [the President] who will have the final word about how the party will be led,” he said. 

With Uhuru having signalled his preference for Raila to succeed him next year, it is widely expected that the Jubilee Party’s NDC will endorse a coalition pact with ODM ahead of the 2022 polls. 

The NMC and the parliamentary leadership-the de facto National Executive Committee-will meet again to firm up plans for the crucial NDC that will agree on the agenda. 

“We will have a meeting on Thursday and another one on Friday to discuss what is going to be on the agenda for the NDC,” Tuju confirmed. 

The party’s failure to hold the NDC has sparked controversies within. The party is split, with one faction supporting party leader Uhuru ,while others pledge allegiance to Deputy President William Ruto. 

Ruto is the deputy party leader, although he has moved to the United Democratic Alliance, which he is popularising as his 2022 presidential vehicle.