• While Sabina was appointed by the National Executive Committee as the acting party leader, Kega was picked as secretary general.
• Kioni, however, failed to indicate which party organ had sanctioned the expulsion and deregistration.
Image: JAMES MBAKA
The battle for the Jubilee Party has taken a new twist, with a faction allied to retired President Uhuru Kenyatta claiming it has terminated the membership of their rivals.
Former nominated MP Hassan Osman, through Hassan and Lakicha Advocates, has also sought crucial party information from the office of the Registrar of Political Parties.
Besieged secretary general Jeremiah Kioni, who is loyal to Uhuru, wrote to the registrar of parties asking the office to strike out the names of MPs Sabina Chege and Kanini Kega.
The two had engineered a leadership shake-up in the former ruling party, replacing Uhuru as party leader and kicking out Kioni's team from the helm of Jubilee.
While Sabina was appointed by the National Executive Committee as the acting party leader, Kega was picked as secretary general.
In a letter to the registrar's office, Kioni claimed that the party had expelled Kega and Sabina from the party over gross misconduct after plotting the far-reaching coup.
Kioni, however, failed to indicate which party organ had sanctioned the expulsion and deregistration.
He asked the Ann Nderitu-led office to endorse the decision of the party and strike out the two from the Jubilee membership register.
In separate letters, Kioni accused Sabina and Kega of purporting to create the position of the acting party leader which he termed as alien to the party.
"That the Honourable Sabina Wanjiru Chege has violated the Jubilee Party constitution by usurping the powers of the National Delegates Conference by creating a non-existing position of the 'acting party leader' a preserve of the National Delegates Conference," the letter reads.
The letter is dated May 4 and was received by the registrar's office on May 5.
He said that Sabina has violated the Jubilee Party constitution and its code of conduct by purporting to dislodge and overthrow Uhuru from the position of the party leader, without following due process.
Separately, Osman, a Jubilee member number JF5182672 also wants the office to confirm in writing the names of the current party offices at all levels within a week.
The move signals a protracted legal battle amid claims that the party could have failed to observe statutory requirements including proper record of leases and payments.
Osman particularly wants Nderitu to tell him who the current members of the party's National Management Committee are and state whether they are on an interim basis or not.
In a letter dated May 4, 2023, Osman also wants details of the physical address of the party's headquarters, postal address, lease documents and addresses of all the Jubilee branches across the country.
Following the leadership wrangles, Jubilee shifted its offices from Pangani to Kileleshwa area.
However, the venue has been a theatre of political battles as the two factions fight for the soul of the party.
Also sought are details on particulars of the branch officials, party member numbers, proof of payment for branch offices and lease agreements.
The former MP also wants certified copies of the audited accounts of the party for the financial years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22.
"Be advised that you are a state organ within the meaning of Article 2(A) of the Constitution of Kenya and consequently bound by the provisions of the Constitution," Osman said.
The ex-MP gave the registrar seven days to provide him with the details, failing which he will move to court.
"Take notice that in the event the aforesaid documents are not supplied within seven days from the date of receipt of this letter, we have firm instructions to institute legal proceedings against you and compel you to supply the said information at your own risk as to costs and other subsequent consequences," the law firm wrote.
At the same time, the former MP wants the office to supply him with the Jubilee membership register, the coalition agreement with Azimio, the assets register, bank signatories and statements for 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Also sought are the returns of the Jubilee's last National Delegates Convention and records of disbursements of funds for the last three years.
Osman is a member of the Jubilee Advisory Council, a group of elders that counsel on party matters.