Over 100 leaders ditch Jubilee and join other parties

More than 100 elected leaders have moved out of the Jubilee Party as the Registrar of Political Parties shut the door to more resignations, with the 30-day window ending today.

This came as Meru Governor Peter Munya, one of the leaders who chose not to join Jubilee urged the Law Society of Kenya to use legal means to reverse the new law which blocks people from “enjoying their rights of association”.

Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung’u said all leaders who were members of parties which dissolved to merge with Jubilee Party who had not resigned by Friday will stick in the political vehicle which President Uhuru Kenyatta will use to seek re-election in 2017.

“I have received resignations from different parties which merged with Jubilee Party. Anyone who doesn’t submit his application by today will remain as a member of Jubilee,” she said on phone.

Ms Ndung’u explained that since Jubilee Party was launched on September 9, the 30-day window which was provided for in the law lapses today.

“But tomorrow (today) is not a working day so it is deemed to have ended today. We will not open our offices tomorrow,” she said.

Parliament amended the Political Parties Act to allow the dissolution of 11 affiliate parties, among them President Kenyatta’s TNA and his deputy William Ruto’s URP to dissolve and merge to Jubilee Party.

Elected leaders, including governors, senators, MPs and MCAs who were opposed to the merger were given 30 days to write to the Registrar of Political Parties indicating the parties they were joining.

Ms Ndung’u said her office was compiling the list of those who had chosen to walk away from Jubilee Party and it will be gazetted by the end of next week.

“If you count from September 9, the deadline is Saturday. There are people who will want to start counting from September 10 but this will be a Sunday (tomorrow) which is also not a working day. So it has to be today,” she said.

Of the 70 elected leaders who shifted, former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress was the biggest beneficiary with an estimated 54 leaders moving from his former UDF party to his new outfit.

BENEFICIARIES
The Alliance Party of Kenya, which has since been dissolved, lost more than eight members who chose to remain independents while more than six quit New Ford Kenya.

“We expect the numbers to be higher by the time we close offices today,” said Ms Ndung’u.

Mr Munya, who was one of the leaders to defect from APK, said they decided to go as independents because Ms Ndung’u had refused to register them as members of PNU.

“The registrar is refusing to register any of our people who have applied as members of PNU, so we have decided that members who wanted to be in PNU will go as independents until the party’s fate is decided.

One faction of PNU rushed to court to question the decision by a rival group to dissolve former President Mwai Kibaki’s party and a decision is yet to be made.

However, Ms Ndung’u denied claims by the Council of Governors chairman, saying that he had not received any application seeking to defect to PNU.

“I have not seen anybody who has indicated that he wants to join PNU, they are coming in as independents. The matter of PNU is before the court and until it decides, we cannot do anything,” she said.

“As far as we are concerned, PNU dissolved,” she added.

Mr Munya accused the registrar of favouring Jubilee Party.

“Why is she taking a position on a matter that is before the courts?” her asked.

LAW UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto said he had joined Chama cha Mashinani along with Isiolo deputy Governor Mohamed Guleid and 16 MCAs.

He said that since URP was dissolved, he could not join Jubilee.

“I was a member of URP but since they chose to dissolve it for Jubilee, I have moved to Chama cha Mashinani. Jubilee Party was formally JAP, chama cha baba yao (Kikuyu MP Ferdinand Waititu’s party) which I have never been a member. Wanaweza kukula nyama yao (they can eat their meat), I don’t want it,” he said.

On Thursday, MPs Sakwa Bunyasi (Nambale), Alfred Sambu (Webuye East), Alfred Agoi (Sabatia), and Yusuf Chanzu (Vihiga) joined ANC.

Their Lugari counterpart Ayub Savula also said he had joined Mr Mudavadi’s party. “I have submitted all the papers,” he said.

However, Mr Munya criticised the new law, warning that it is unconstitutional and unfair because it restricts people’s freedom of association.

“You cannot give ultimatums over the period which people have to leave or join parties. I am sure it will not stand the test of time,” he said.