Jubilee Party MPs call for urgent group meeting

Some Jubilee Party MPs have raised concerns about President Uhuru Kenyatta’s failure to convene the party’s parliamentary group meeting since his re-election in 2017.

At the same time, a section of Central Kenya leaders now agree that the region is in limbo following lack of a clear successor of President Kenyatta when his term ends in 2022.

His impending exit has raised questions on whether his political dominance in Mt Kenya will remain and who will negotiate for the region’s place in future governments.

Deputy President William Ruto’s allies in the Rift Valley said the failure to hold the meeting is threatening to tear the party apart ahead of the next polls.

BIG FOUR AGENDA

Bomet MP Ronald Tonui said party MPs are reading from different scripts on matters of national interest due to lack of a parliamentary group meeting to agree on issues.

Disgruntled members of say President Kenyatta has not sat with them to discuss the implementation of the Big Four development pillars being pushed by the government.

“We only held a consultative meeting to plan for the Presidential re-run in September 2017, with the only other time being when the President wanted to force the Finance Bill, 2018 on MPs,” Mr Tonui said.

He claims President Kenyatta seems to be deliberately avoiding a PG. It is increasingly becoming apparent that the President sees MPs as his enemies rather than teammates in the party and in the running of government.

WRANGLES

Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri said party MPs are engaged in a spat with the President on one side and the Deputy President on the other, a clear indication of deep-rooted cracks.

“Failure to convene a Jubilee PG has fuelled speculation on the party’s succession plan, and we cannot keep quiet when things are not being done right,” Mr Ngunjiri said.

He noted that President Kenyatta’s historic handshake with ODM leader Raila Odinga had resulted in further conflict of interest between the President and his deputy.

MURAGE FACTOR

Belgut MP Nelson Koech said the party must fix its internal problems and ensure the leadership and party supporters are united and reading from the same page.

Bureti MP Japheth Mutai said persistent insults on Mr Ruto by former vice chairman David Murathe were a slap on President Kenyatta’s face and further complicated the undercurrents in the party.

Mr Murathe has vowed to initiate a process to bar Mr Ruto from becoming president as he tears to pieces claims of a succession pact in the party.

“We’re watching the unfolding political scenario in Jubilee. We’re taking notes and we shall give our position at an opportune time,” Keiyo South MP Daniel Rono said.

JITTERS

In Central Kenya, concerns persist that Mr Ruto negotiated for himself and for Rift Valley region for the Uhuru-Ruto government while he has crippled Mt Kenya leaders’ ability to negotiate with him on their place in his government.

Though the President and his DP run a shared government, pundits have raised concern about Mr Kenyatta’s place in Mr Ruto’s government if he ascends to power.

The concerns come amid a perceived rift between the two.

Mr Ruto has launched a spirited campaign for his 2022 presidential ambitions, a move that does not augur well for his presidential bid opponents who say he “has invaded the bedroom of his boss without his outright permission".