Sweet revenge: Uhuru loses Jubilee to Ruto

They say "Revenge is  best served cold."

So President William Ruto  must be feeling pretty good as he got the last word when it comes  to Jubilee.

When he was Deputy President, Ruto was kicked out  of Jubilee on February 26 last year due to the machinations of his predecessor, President Uhuru Kenyatta. Uhuru was determined to weaken and  demoralise him, blocking his way to State House.

Well, Ruto was declared winner of the election.

A tribunal on Monday dealt Uhuru and his allies Jeremiah Kioni and David Murathe (vice chairperson) a severe blow, ruling the two anti-Ruto Ruto leaders  were properly removed from Jubilee leadership.

The jury concluded that the meeting in Nakuru where the East African Legislative Assembly MP Kanini Kega and nominated MP Sabina Chege were handed key roles was properly convened.

The tribunal dismissed an appeal filed by Kioni, which challenged the nomination of Kega as secretary general and Sabina Chege as deputy party leader.

"We answer the second issue as framed, in the negative. We have said so much to demonstrate that the order that commends itself to us is the dismissal of the appeal. The same lacks merit,” the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal ruled.

In the ensuing circumstances, observers say Uhuru has lost control of the former ruling party and could as well lose the millions that came with it.

Kega and Sabina are Ruto allies and have declared support for the Kenya Kwanza government.

With them on his side, the divorce from Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya, where the former President is the council chairman, could get a big boost.

Ruto is now best placed to have Jubilee MPs whipped to his side in a vote at the National Assembly  and Senate.

Signs of President Ruto’s effort to take over Jubilee have been crystal-clear and are among the reasons Raila Odinga is mounting anti-government protests.

Ruto has on many occasions hosted the breakaway Jubilee camp at State House.

In this endeavour, the likes of Eldas MP Adan Keynan, Yusuf Hassan (Kamukunji), John Waluke (Sirisia), Samuel Arama (Nakuru West) and Rachael Nyamai (Kitui South) have bolted from the party.

Balambala MP Omar Shurie, Irene Njoki (Bahati), Margaret Kamar (nominated senator) and Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo have also pledged their allegiance to the President.

Following the meetings, the lot has been backing UDA agendas in and outside Parliament.

A number of MPs elected through Jubilee  have been voting with their Kenya Kwanza counterparts, as during the vote on the Finance Bill, 2023.

Kega and allies have also initiated steps to divorce from the Azimio la Umoja coalition that could totally render Uhuru without a party.

Kioni has in the past accused President Ruto of orchestrating a coup in Jubilee.

In a press conference  at  Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s SKM Command Centre on Tuesday, the former Ndaragwa MP said he would appeal to the High Court.

He argued President Ruto was determined to vanquish any other party that could threaten his 2027 stakes in the Mt Kenya region.

"This madness by Ruto must stop," Kioni said, “We will certainly move to the High Court to challenge this illegal decision.”

The former MP said the ruling was part of actions instigated by the powers that be “to aid the illegal takeover of the Jubilee party".

A ruling on the money bit (signatories) is expected at any time. It was scheduled to be delivered yesterday (Tuesday).

Kega and Murathe's removal was a double victory for Ruto, coming less than one year after defeating Uhuru’s preferred successor — Raila Odinga.

Uhuru and Ruto had jointly formed Jubilee for the 2017 elections.

Ruto is touted as one of the brains that initiated the merger of about 15 parties that collapsed to form Jubilee.

But after the March 2018 handshake, Uhuru handed some of the DP’s roles to then-Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, leaving Ruto without state assignments.

Ruto deplored he humiliation that locked him out and also denied him a chance to speak at state functions.

His allies led by current DP Rigathi Gachagua also condemned a “biased state crackdown” that targeted their businesses and bank accounts.

They left in droves and formed UDA, which has since absorbed Uhuru’s troops, especially from his Mt Kenya backyard.

"Events have come full  circle for Uhuru," EALA MP David Sankok said. He was among MPs who left the party after Ruto was kicked out and was declared persona non grata at Jubilee headquarters.

“As they say, he who laughs last laughs best. The same way he was helped by Ruto to win two elections, only to turn against him [Ruto], is the same way Kega, who he stuck with as we were hounded out, has chased him,” Sankok said.

The EALA MP added, “Uhuru sent us away from the party, forgetting that it was Ruto who helped him win two elections. Ruto even abandoned his 2013 presidential ambitions for him.”

Sankok said the former President needs to be further reminded that it was Ruto who stood by him in his presidential election loss in 2002.

“All MPs left and only Ruto was among the three who accompanied him for the concession speech. Uhuru did not see shame and ended up shaming him, using Fred Matiang’i [former Interior CS] to receive him and organise government functions.”

He hinted at a new battlefront with Uhuru, indicating there would be an inquiry into how the former President "subverted the Constitution.’

“We still have issues to look at, such as how he mutilated the Constitution to assign other people the Deputy President’s roles,” Sankok said.

He indicated  the UDA wing deliberately gave up its EALA commission slot “to give Kega more power and money to deal with Uhuru".

“What goes round comes round. We are not done yet. He has to tell us how he mutilated the law to give other people the DP roles,” Sankok said.

Uhuru and his allies’ woes came after Political Parties Registrar Anne Nderitu approved the expulsion of Murathe and Kioni. 

Nderitu also endorsed the suspension of Jubilee national treasurer Kagwe Gichohi.

The tribunal struck out a suit filed against her for effecting leadership changes in a letter dated May 19, 2023.