The Jubilee backlash

The Opposition has accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of undermining multi-party democracy and seeking to take Kenya back to the single-party era.

Opposition chief Raila Odinga, Amani leader Musalia Mudavadi and Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar said the move to dissolve parties affiliated to the ruling coalition to form Jubilee Party was against the law.

Mudavadi warned that the move could be the start of “life presidential terms” in the country.

Yesterday, hours after leaders of Jubilee affiliate parties met at State House and resolved to announce plans to dissolve their parties, Raila said such a move was against the Constitution.

CLAW BACK

“It would appear the President is working to claw back on the Constitution of Kenya in Article 4(2), which is unmistakable that Kenya is a multi-party democracy State,” said Mudavadi in a statement.

Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar described the dissolution of Jubilee affiliates to form a giant unit as an old and redundant tactic.

“You don’t unite a country by forming big political parties. A country can only be united by sound policies, which promote equality and equity,” said Mr Omar.

Raila said the Constitution provides for the formation of political parties and that the citizens have a right to join a party of their choice.

“Kenyans must be allowed to embrace multi-partyism as enshrined in the Constitution.

We cannot allow the country to go back to a one-party State,” said Raila.

He said claims that the new party intended to unite Kenyans were mistaken.The Opposition leader said he was unmoved by the political posturing and chestthumping by the Jubilee administration, noting it was the people who had the final say.

He said the Opposition was ready to face any challenge Raila and

Mudavadi trash Jubilee merger planthat would be brought by the Jubilee Party.

“I have visited all the parts of this country and learnt that Kenyans are tired of this administration that thrives onpublic relations and buying of leaders,” said Raila.

The former premier also maintained that for a free and fair contest against Jubilee, the voter register must be cleaned up, adding that there was more than enough time for such an exercise.

The ANC party further questioned the legality of the merger process, saying that the dissolving parties had not followed due process as stipulated by the Political Parties Act that requires parties to hold delegates’ congresses to endorse such a decision.

He said there was no way political parties could dissolve to join a political outfit that was yet to be registered.Mudavadi, who has announced his plans to contest for the presidency in 2017, told

Kenyans to guard against any efforts by the Jubilee administration to violate the Constitution.

“There is nothing you can do to ward off critics. We have had them and we have said that we are forging ahead. We are asking those who support our cause to join us,” said Noah Wekesa, the co-chair of the Jubilee Party’s steering committee