Jubilee wrangles: Uhuru convenes Special National Delegates Conference

Former President and Jubilee Party leader Uhuru Kenyatta has convened Special National Delegates Conference to be held on May 22, 2023 at Bomas of Kenya.

In a notice published in a local daily on Saturday, April 29, Uhuru said the agenda of the meeting will be to review, formulate, and approve party policies; receive status report from the National Executive Committee; and consider and approve any other matters.

The meeting will begin at 10 am.

The Jubilee Party leader stormed the party headquarters in Nairobi on Wednesday, April 26 to stop its forcible takeover by rebel officials.

Uhuru, in the company of embattled Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni, walked for a distance to the party premises escorted by a group of party supporters.

Police manning the entrance dispersed after the retired president threatened to stand at the gate until they left.

“Harakisha muende. Nitasimama hapa mpaka mutoke (Hurry up and leave. I will wait here until you leave,)” the former Head of State told the officers, who left at once.

Uhuru addresses party supporters

Once they were out of the way, Uhuru walked into the party premises from where he addressed a gathering of his supporters.

In what appeared to be a dress down to the legislators who had earlier stormed the offices to eject the current officials, he warned that those who wanted to leave the party should do so in peace.

“We don’t want to fight anybody. If someone wants to leave a party, you leave it in peace.

"We want peace and we are here to protect our rights and our party,” Uhuru said in a veiled reference to attempts by President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance to co-opt Jubilee into government.

“We want them to give us our rights as the party members because we follow our Constitution.

"This is a rented building and it is unfortunate that police hurled teargas which caused disturbance to the neighbours and that is not right," he added.

This was the first time the retired President was engaging in a direct political activity involving his party since he handed over to Ruto, last September.

Jubilee is a member of the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition, which has accused Ruto of poaching its legislators, including those elected on Jubilee ticket.

Earlier in the day, East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Kanini Kega, Sarah Korere (Laikipia North), John Waluke (Sirisia), Kwenya Thuku (Kinangop), Sabina Chege (nominated), Adan Keynan (Eldas) and Rachael Nyamai (Kitui South) had stormed the party headquarters in an attempt to claim control of the party.

Chaos erupted when the MPs stormed the offices to evict current officeholders and in the ensuing melee some protesters and a journalist were injured.