Blow to Speaker Muturi as coalition agreement with Kenya Kwanza declared null and void

From right: Deputy President William Ruto and National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi after signing the coalition agreement with Kenya Kwanza Alliance in Karen, Nairobi. [David Gichuru, Standard]

The Political Parties Tribunal has declared a coalition agreement between Kenya Kwanza and Speaker Justin Muturi’s Democratic party, null and void.

The tribunal in its judgement also ruled that National Assembly Speaker Muturi was unlawfully appointed as the leader of the Democratic Party, during a Special Delegates National Convention on February 20.

“That the purported coalition agreement entered with Kenya Kwanza by Muturi on behalf of the Democratic Party was done without the authority of the Democratic Party of Kenya and is null and void.”

“The complainants submitted that the appointment of Muturi was unlawful and contravened Article 10 (b) (1) of the party Constitution which provides that no person, except with the leave-on application granted by a majority decision of the outgoing National Executive Committee (NEC), shall be eligible to be elected if such a person had not been a member of the party for a period of one year preceding such election for the position of party leader,” three petitioners argued.

The petition seen by The Standard also sought to have the source of funds used to organize the party’s NDC investigated by officers from both the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

Muturi signed the coalition agreement to join the Alliance on April 9 at the Hermosa Hotel in Karen, Nairobi.

Ruto said the agreement was a result of months of consultations and highlighted the importance of the Democratic Party that was once led by former President Mwai Kibaki.

“The joining of the Democratic Party to Kenya Kwanza is significant as they bring on board the economic conversation led by Kibaki,” he said.

But the tribunal’s ruling now poses a political blow to the Deputy President William Ruto-led coalition that was banking on Muturi’s influence in the Mt Kenya Region.