- The MPs, who were joined by party National Executive Council members said the “purported” appointment of Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje to the position is invalid.
- Arama said former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni has no legal, political and moral authority to represent Jubilee saying he stands expelled from the party.
Image: SABINA CHEGE/X
Jubilee Parliamentary Group has asked Nominated MP Sabina Chege to stay put as Deputy Minority Whip in the National Assembly.
The MPs, who were joined by party National Executive Council members said the “purported” appointment of Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje to the position is invalid.
“The Azimio Coalition has not followed any procedural process to make such changes,” the group said in a statement read by Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama.
He added that the meeting held at Ngong Racecourse on May 22, 2023, at which Mwenje was endorsed, was declared null and void by the Internal Dispute Resolution Committee of the party and the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal.
He said former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni has no legal, political and moral authority to represent Jubilee saying he stands expelled from the party.
He said Kioni is a beneficiary of multiple conservatory orders from the courts.
Last week, Kioni wrote to Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula accusing him of laxity in sending Chege packing as as Minority Whip.
Kioni accused Wetangula of being “an enabler of the political prostitution being witnessed within Azimio coalition parties”.
“He has a score to settle with us in Azimio. These are the fellows who are impeding multi-party democracy. He is buying time so that Chege gets to appeal the decision at a higher court,” Kioni said.
In June, Azimio la Umoja coalition announced that it had settled on appointing Mwenje as the new National Assembly deputy minority whip to replace Chege.
Ugunja MP and Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi announced that the decision was met after the party de-whipped MP Chege from the position on grounds that she has shown allegiance to the ruling Kenya Kwanza.
The minority leader added that the decision is in furtherance of a Jubilee party National Delegates Conference (NDC) where MP Chege was expelled from the party's leadership.
Speaking at party offices in Lavington, Arama said the Parliamentary Group is expecting the Minority Leader to table and communicate their position on the floor of the House.
“Sabina Chege remains the bona-fide Deputy Minority Whip of Azimio Coalition,” he maintained.
Arama further said the PG dismissed a notice by Kioni “purporting” to convene a NEC meeting on October 26, 2023.
“Members of NEC should not attend any meeting called by Kioni for the reason he has sued not only Jubilee Party but also organs of the party and members of NEC individually,” Arama added.
He added that Kioni has no authority to speak on behalf of Jubilee at the National Dialogue Committee.
Last week, Kioni, who is a member of the technical team of the committee, said the coalition was reconsidering its involvement in a retreat to finalise the talks this week in Nakuru county.
He told the Star on the phone that the talks should not proceed until the decision of the courts that directed Chege’s ouster from the lucrative House post is implemented.