Peter Munya fights to unseat Mwai Kibaki at PNU

Former Meru Governor Peter Munya has said recognition of former President Mwai Kibaki as the Party of National Unity leader is illegal.

Mr Munya, who has been leading the party, on Thursday said he would move to court today and cite the Registrar of Political Parties for contempt if the notice is not withdrawn.

LAW

Last week, the registrar, Ms Lucy Ndung’u, gazetted Mr Kibaki as PNU leader alongside other former officials.

The gazette notice states that the change of PNU leadership follows a judgment by the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal delivered on June 20, 2017, which indicated that “the officials of the interested party in office as at 27th October, 2016 remain the bona fide office bearers of the interested party until a proper general meeting is held to elect national officials".

But speaking to the Nation, Mr Munya termed Ms Ndungu’s move as “a blatant disregard of the law”.

7 DAYS

“Our lawyers wrote to the registrar of political parties on Monday pointing out that a court order is in place stopping the ruling of the tribunal. We gave her 48 hours to correct the same with a new gazette. Our lawyer is moving to court on Thursday to cite her for contempt of she does not act by the closure of business Wednesday,” Mr Munya said.

The tribunal on June 20, 2017 ordered PNU officials to leave office within seven days but Mr Munya’s team obtained a court order stopping their removal from office.

Mr Munya, who has earlier accused the registrar and the tribunal of making politically motivated decisions, said the move was linked to 2022 politics.

OFFICIALS

“The struggle to wrest the party from us to block us from the 2022 politics is being taken to strange levels to the extent of dragging the name of the retired president into the mix,” the former governor said.

In the recent gazette notice, the bona fide PNU officials include Mr John Kamama (Chairman), Irene Muronji (1st Vice chairperson), Paul Amayo (2nd Vice chairperson), John Anunda (Secretary-General), Alphonse Musyoki (Organising Secretary), Mwajuma Rajab (Secretary, Finance), Genery Wando (Deputy Treasurer), Anna Chebet (Director of Elections), Prisca Mwita (National Women Chairperson), Beatrice Cherono (National Youth Chairperson) and Agnes Toya (NEC member).

MUNYA

“Any person with written submissions concerning the intended changes by the political party shall within seven days deposit them with the Registrar of Political Parties,” the notice reads.

Mr Munya was elected PNU leader in October 2016 in a National Delegates Conference that was disputed by a section of officials.

This is after the Political Parties Dispute Resolution Tribunal nullified the dissolution of PNU.

The former governor and other new officials were gazetted in April, six months after their election.