Kioni convenes Jubilee NDC amid leadership wrangles

A faction allied to Jeremiah Kioni has called for the Jubilee National Delegates Convention that could make sweeping changes to the party leadership.

The NDC, the party's superior decision-making organ, comes at a time when Jubilee is rocked by internal power tussles that have seen the emergence of two factions.

Kioni, the embattled Jubilee Secretary General, is on one hand leading party loyalists under the leadership of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.

East African Legislative Assembly member Kanini Kega, who is the Jubilee party's Director of Elections, is on the other hand leading politicians seen as renegades.

The Kega team has affirmed its support for President William Ruto and announced plans to kick out Kioni and vice chairperson David Murathe.

With the backing of over 30 elected party MPs, they want Jubilee to seal a partnership deal with Ruto's Kenya Kwanza administration.

However, with the Parties Dispute Tribunal having halted a move by the registrar of political parties to endorse an internal coup to replace pro-Uhuru leaders, Kioni has summoned an NDC.

According to an advertisement placed in a local daily on Tuesday, the NDC will take place on March 24 and 25 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.

'The agenda of the NDC shall be to receive and welcome the elected leaders from the concluded General Election,” the public notice reads in part.

The NDC will also elect from among the eligible members of the party, the national officials of the party to fill in vacant positions.

The meeting as well formulates and approves Jubilee party policies and programmes, according to the notice signed by Kioni.

It is expected that the Kioni team will replace Kega and other officials who have declared their allegiance to Kenya Kwanza.

However, there is a case before the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal that is expected to provide light on the bonafide officials given that Kega's team had replaced leaders coalescing around Kioni.

The registrar of parties had endorsed the changes and affirmed that the National Executive Council meeting in Nakuru that effected the changes was legally convened in line with the party constitution.

Kioni's group dismissed the NEC meeting saying it was illegal as it was not convened by the party leader or the secretary general as provided in the Party constitution.

With the blessings of Uhuru, Kioni's team wants Jubilee to remain in Raila Odinga's Azimio coalition.