Jubilee Party to transform into powerful outfit

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party has intensified plans to transform it into a long-standing outfit.

The party is looking to entrench itself as a powerful force akin to the outfits in China, Cuba, South Africa, Tanzania, and Rwanda.

Since last year, the Jubilee Party leadership has visited and studied the Communist Party of China, the African National Congress of South Africa, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, and last week, the Communist Party of Cuba.

“The longevity of these parties is of note given the high mortality rate of our parties in Kenya after every election,” Jubilee Party secretary-general Raphael Tuju told the Nation by phone on Sunday.

“We are looking at their structures, their organising principles beyond tribe and their financing structures beyond state allocations; their accountability to its members and the country and their succession planning,” Mr Tuju said.

MEDIA

After the Cuba visit, Mr Tuju said the party would also visit neighbouring Tanzania to learn from the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, and later, Europe, where some parties have also shown dominance.

“Instability in the political space results into an unstable country. When the country is not stable, we all know the results. Joblessness, economic downturn, and insecurity,” he said.

He went on: “Right now, the President and the Jubilee leadership are struggling to focus on the 'Big Four' that should result in the transformation of our lives.

"But what sells newspapers and increases TV viewership is the endless tribal political fights. This must change.”

TRIBALISM
Mr Tuju said Jubilee is seeking to have a party that “detribalises our politics”.

“It is not whether we can change our political landscape. We must, for our collective well-being and viability as a country,” he said.

To borrow from China, President Kenyatta named Mr Tuju as a Cabinet Secretary on a need-be basis to ensure the implementation of the party manifesto.

The Jubilee Party was formed on September 2016 following the dissolution of 11 regional parties to form a joint outfit that propelled President Kenyatta to re-election last year.

In the elections, the Jubilee Party won the majority in Parliament, governorship, and county assemblies.