Registrar to decide fate of expelled JP senators
The fate of six Jubilee Senators who were expelled by the party last month now lies with the Registrar of Political Parties after the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal (PPDT) agreed with the party’s decision.
Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju said he had written to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Registrar and was only waiting for official acknowledgment by the two bodies.
Expelled senators
The party had expelled senators Isaac Mwaura, Millicent Omanga, Mary Seneta, Falhada Iman, Naomi Waqo and Victor Prengei but they lodged their case before PPDT which has now upheld the decision of the party to kick them out.
Tuju now wants the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu to expunge the six names from the party’s list and that the electoral agency to gazette the new nominees who include United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General Veronicah Maina.
“We have written to the Registrar of Political Parties but I cannot release the contents of the letter until they have officially acknowledged receipt,” said Tuju.
But Nderitu clarified that the six still have avenues for appeal.
“They can still move to the High Court to challenge their removal. It is not cast in stone. They still have room to exhaust all the available legal channels,” said Nderitu.
The senators had got a temporary reprieve in February when PPDT halted their removal from the party after Tuju had communicated the decision of the National Management Committee (NMC).
On Friday, the Tribunal declined to issue conservatory orders barring the Registrar of Political Parties from removing Mwaura’s name from the membership of Jubilee Party.
However, Deputy President William Ruto’s allies have vowed to stand with their colleagues to the highest court in the land.
“We will battle the ouster of the lawmakers all the way to the Supreme Court. What I know is that the senators will serve their term to the end. This is just victimisation,” said Soy MP Caleb Kositany who was recently removed as the party’s deputy secretary general.
Appeal avenues
He, however, admitted that in the event that they are removed, the party will have no choice but pick from the list already with the electoral commission.
“Even if they remove them, they cannot nominate from outside the list that is with the IEBC. But before we get there, we are going to exploit all the appeal mechanisms provided for in the law,” he added.
In the expulsion letter dated February 8, Tuju stated that he was exercising its mandate as provided for under Article 7(2A) of the party constitution and, relying on other enabling provisions of the party constitution, resolved to expel the senators.
He said expulsion was to be effected immediately and communicated to the Senate speaker and the Registrar of Political Parties.
Once the registrar effects the changes, she will then write to the IEBC stating the changes to allow it refer back to the party list and nominate others.
Nomination lists from political parties submitted to the IEBC before the General Election are closed and the concerned party cannot nominate people outside the list.
Asked if they will challenge the matter, Omanga only said: ‘No’ without elaborating.
