Ruto’s allies train their arsenal on Raphael Tuju

Deputy President William Ruto’s allies have trained their guns on Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, demanding a review of the decisions he has made since September 2017, when the ruling party last met.

Since then, the National Executive Council and the Parliamentary Group — the two main decision-making organs of the party besides the National Delegates Council — have not met.

Deputy Secretary-General Caleb Kositany on Thursday said Mr Tuju’s decisions must be scrutinised.

“We are going to monitor everything Tuju does or communicates. He cannot claim to have been told to do something by whoever,” said Mr Kositany, who has become Dr Ruto’s de facto spokesman.

“A party cannot be run by a few people meeting over coffee or beer. We have structures that must be followed.”

Mr Kositany has written to the Kajiado and Kirinyaga county assemblies, terming changes to the House leadership communicated by Mr Tuju illegal and irregular.

Mr Tuju dismissed Mr Kamau Murango as the Kirinyaga assembly majority leader while three officials in the Kajiado assembly were removed in December.

DUE PROCESS

In Nairobi, Mr Tuju reappointed Mr Abdi Guyo the majority leader alongside other changes two weeks ago.

“County assemblies are advised that future communication coming from Mr Tuju or any other party official must be accompanied by details of the relevant party organ that sanctioned the move,” Mr Kositany said in the letter to the two assemblies.

“The information includes the date the decision was made and the attendees and must indicate the relevant constitutional provision authorising the same.”

He said the changes in the assemblies did not follow due process and should be ignored.

“The impugned decision by Mr Tuju cannot stand any legal or procedural test. It stands not on the constitution of the party, the standing orders of the assemblies or any other law pedestal. It has no legal effect. It is not recognised in law. It is null and void ab initio,” the Soy MP said.

Belgut MP Nelson Koech said the changes communicated by Mr Tuju to the county assemblies “are part of a ploy to remove the leadership of the Senate and the National Assembly in the same irregular manner”.

PG MEETING

In the National Assembly, Speaker Justin Muturi, Deputy Majority Leader Jimmy Angwenyi and Deputy Chief Whip Cecily Mbarire are on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s side while Majority Leader Aden Duale, Deputy Speaker Moses Cheboi and Chief Whip Ben Washiali are in Ruto’s camp.

Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka, his deputy Kithure Kindiki, Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen and Majority Whip Susan Kihika appear to be on the DP’s side, with Deputy Chief Whip Irungu Kang’ata and Deputy Majority Leader Fatuma Dullo seen to be on Mr Kenyatta’s side.

Jubilee has 34 senators, 10 of whom are nominated. The majority (18) must sit in a parliamentary group meeting whose minutes must be submitted to the Speaker for verification before Mr Murkomen can be removed.

The same applies for Mr Duale. “Mr Kositany is at liberty to write to us on the correct position on anything Tuju says. In essence, the deputy party secretary-general is now righting the wrongs committed by Mr Tuju until the party meets,” Mr Koech said.

The Belgut MP argued that Mr Tuju’s actions “have shown that he is one-sided and hell-bent on destroying Jubilee while the other is fighting to keep it and ensure the law is followed”.

“The first agenda of the party when it finally holds a meeting is to discuss Tuju and his reprehensible conduct,” Mr Koech said.

MANDATE

But as with the decision to change members of the party’s National Management Committee, Mr Tuju has defended his changes to the assemblies and his other decisions.

“Kositany should read the party constitution and tell Kenyans which section allows him to overturn communication by the secretary-general,” Mr Tuju said.

“In any case, the secretary-general does not convey personal positions. The secretary-general communicates the party decision.”

Mr Kositany argues that the Jubilee constitution grants powers to the secretary-general “but does not include the dismissal of an elected leader”.

“What comes near a disciplinary role is the SG’s mandate in implementing the decisions of the party organ,” he said.