Jubilee Party to unveil names of county officials

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto (centre), acknowledge greetings from the crowd when they arrived at Kapkatembo trading centre in Nandi County where the President officially launched Rivatex-Simat-Lemook-Kipkaren-Selia-Kakatembo-Kaplemur-Kabiyiet-ST Teresa-ST Centre Kwanza-Sugoi B. dispensary roads yesterday on 08.12.2016. PHOTOS BY PETER OCHIENG/STANDARD.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto will next week unveil Jubilee party officials in a bid to end outcry.

The party's national secretariat will between Tuesday and Friday hold meetings in all the counties to pick county interim officials in a process that will involve all county elected leaders and party members.

The party ran into headwinds on November 4 when Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto failed to name officials and instead unveiled a 61-member campaign committee, sparking uproar from party members, who wanted interim officials named.

Yesterday, the JP interim secretary general Veronica Maina said the exercise to pick the officials will involve everybody so as to get the right people to steer the part into the 2017 General Election.

"Jubilee Party headquarters secretariat will be visiting all county headquarters (December 13 to 16) to coordinate the identification of JP offices and agree on county interim officials that will manage the party affairs at the county," said Ms Maina.

"This will be an all-inclusive exercise that will bring together all the elected members of the county from the governor, senator, MPs, Woman Rep, MCAs and all registered JP aspirants," she added in the advert placed in local dailies.

President Uhuru's re-election vehicle, however, made it clear that no aspirant will be allowed to seek the positions.

The party is keen on eliminating a scenario where party officials use their positions to push for their individual political bids instead of selling the Jubilee manifesto.

"Only persons who are not seeking elective offices may become interim county officials of the party. A similar exercise for interim constituency and ward level interim officials will be scheduled thereafter," she added.

Politicians will be accommodated in the county and sub-county presidential campaign teams, which are being crafted to include more members in the list of party officials.

There has been disquiet in Jubilee's Rift Valley and Central strongholds over alleged lack of proper representation in the party.