Uhuru, Ruto get JP instruments

NAIROBI: President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto yesterday received instruments of the new Jubilee Party, setting the stage for dissolution of affiliate parties.

The new party’s instruments presented to Kenyatta and Ruto at State House, Nairobi yesterday by co-chairs of the interim steering committee Dr Noah Wekesa and Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi consist of the interim constitution, nomination rules, election rules and a members’ handbook.

JP will have 31 organs and hundreds of officials. The top most organ in the hierarchy unveiled yesterday is the National Delegates Conference (NDC) followed by the National Governing Council and the National Executive Committee (NEC).

The bottom-most organs of the party are County MCA Caucus, National MCA Caucus and Governors Caucus. In the nomination of candidates for next year’s polls, the NEC appears to have more clout than the National Elections Board (NEB).

Although all applications will be made to NEB, the NEC shall receive the party nomination lists, “give overriding directions and guidelines and the final determination and approval of National Assembly, gubernatorial, senate and county assembly nomination lists.”

The NEC may also raise objection to the candidature of any individual on or after nomination if it deems that his/her credentials are not in tandem with the “principles and aspirations” of the party.

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Interestingly, JP instruments also provide for merger with other political parties where those other parties are dissolving as well as where Jubilee itself is dissolving. The process for dissolution of Jubilee in favour of new parties is however more elaborate. Despite all the bravado that parties which do not dissolve into JP will be locked out, the party’s constitution provides for both pre-election and post-election coalition arrangements so long as they are approved by NEC through a resolution.

“The NEC may pass a resolution to commit Jubilee Party to a post-election coalition, or terminate the same,” the party constitution says. The post-election coalition shall however be purely for purposes of addressing the parliamentary strength of JP in Parliament and county Assemblies.

Kenyatta and Ruto directed all the affiliate parties to fold up ahead of the planned launch of Jubilee Party in September. After receiving the party instruments, the president said the new outfit will uphold democracy and the wish of Kenyans.

“A new child has been born to unite Kenyans and grow the economy,” said the Head of State, noting that the move to dissolve the smaller parties will establish true national democracy. He added, “No longer shall we give Kenyans choices based on ethnicity, clanism or religion. As a start, all party officials will hold positions on interim basis until the day members of the party decide who will hold such offices.”

Kenyatta lauded the committee’s work, saying what will follow is the release of a roadmap.

The president made the remarks after the interim steering committee named him as the party leader and Ruto as the deputy party leader.

“Call me the interim party leader. It is the people who will decide who will be the party leader. This party will be democratic because that is the only way to guarantee its survival,” said the President.

He said he was happy to lead a party that has a truly national outlook. “It is with pride that I accept leadership of a national party,” he said. Kenyatta was optimistic that JP will unite Kenyans and champion integration of the East African Community. Ruto said it was President Kenyatta’s wish to dissolve the small parties and form a united front even before the 2013 elections.

“The greatest legacy you will leave for this country is to reset the political foundation of Kenya so that henceforth the politics of our country will be based not ethnic, not on region or faith but will be set on competition on the basis of issues, agenda ,manifesto and programs,” said the DP.

Kiraitu said JP will have enough national positions to accommodate all the new parties that will join.

The senator affirmed that the party will be launched in a colourful manner that will be preceded by a synchronised NDC of all the joining parties to ratify their dissolution.

“The NDC’s will then be followed by a national convention,” he said.

Wekesa added that, “13 parties have already signed up to join JP and many more are lining up to join. This new party will unite Kenyans.”