Mudavadi party calls off meetings as rift worsens

The United Democratic Forum has called off two meetings of the party’s main decision making organs planned for Friday due to ‘logistical challenges’.

A statement from Secretary-General Justus Kizito and another one from Chief Executive Officer Petronila Were confirmed cancellation of the National Governing Council and the National Delegates Congress meetings.

“On behalf of the UDF’s National Executive Committee, I hereby cancel the National Governing Council (NGC) and National Delegates Congress (NDC) meetings, both of which were scheduled for Friday 24 October 2014. We regret any inconvenience caused,” said Mr Kizito.

Ms Were, in a separate statement, explained that the two meetings had been cancelled “due to logistics that need to be streamlined”.

But a senior party official who sought anonymity said the meetings had been called off due to the ongoing case lodged before the Party Dispute Tribunal. A faction is challenging recent changes in the party that have seen allies of party leader Musalia Mudavadi take over leadership.

“As people who respect the rule of law, we have called off the two meetings because of the dispute. We do not want to be seen as people who are contemptuous of the law,” said the Mudavadi ally.

KICK OUT CHAIRMAN

A group of party officials has gone to the Tribunal challenging the move by Mr Mudavadi’s allies to kick out the party’s chairman, Nominated MP Hassan Osman, and other officials.

The case was filed under certificate of urgency by the acting chairman, Mr Wycliffe Oyondi Okeo, Ms Caroline Muthoni Boy (secretary) and Ms Pauline Achieng (Woman Rep).

Through lawyer Hassan Lakicha, the officials have sued Mr Mudavadi, Deputy party leader Jeremiah Kioni, Ms Were and national organising secretary Kassim Sawa.

They accused the four officials of failing to follow laid down regulations in the removal of the party chairman and members of the executive committee.

They want the tribunal to issue an order restraining the Registrar of Political Parties from acting and effecting their suspension, pending the hearing of the dispute.

On Sunday, Mr Mudavadi maintained that he was the party leader. He said he was being fought because he was reorganising UDF to involve all members in decision-making.

“The list of UDF officials the Registrar of Political Parties, Lucy Ndung’u, tabled to the Party Dispute Tribunal on Friday was the same one of 2012,“ Mr Mudavadi told the Nation.

“It is not the duty of Ms Ndung’u to decide who holds which position in a party. Her work is to keep updated records,” added Mr Mudavadi.
“What we are going through in UDF is a reorganisation of the party. But some people may not want to see changes,” he said.

He said the changes were meant to ensure the party’s 13 MPs, three senators and one governor were involved in running UDF.

“Our senators, MPs and the governor are important people who must be involved in organs of the party like NEC and the NGC,” he said.