Storm now brewing in Jubilee over planned signing of pact with ODM

Jubilee party Headquarters situated in Pangani along Thika road. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

A storm is brewing in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party over plans to sign a coalition deal with Raila Odinga’s ODM party.

This is happening as details have emerged on the proposed coalition agreement between the two parties that currently form the government and the Opposition.

Jubilee’s National Management Committee (NMC) is set to meet tomorrow to deliberate of the running of the party affairs as it prepares to enter into a pact with ODM.

According to a draft framework agreement exclusively seen by The Sunday Standard, Jubilee and ODM are seeking to field a joint presidential candidate in next year’s General Election.

The two parties will also field joint candidates for all 1,450 wards and 416 parliamentary seats.

They will also engage in negotiations that will determine how the proposed coalition is going to share seats if and when it clinches power.

This includes the sharing of leadership and committee positions in the legislative houses at both national and county levels.

To this end, the parties will be constituting a Summit made of the two party leaders, Raila and President Uhuru, a Council made up of five representatives nominated by each party with technical support as well as a Parliamentary Group, made up of MPs from both parties to manage the negotiations going forward.

“Jubilee and ODM have agreed to procure the ratification of this resolution, and of the final Coalition Agreement, and other attendant agreements by their relevant Party organs.

"They will also sell the shared vision and popularise the proposed Coalition across the country, mobilise their respective party members to buy into the shared vision as well as mobilise resources to facilitate operations of the proposed Coalition,” reads part of the agreement that is yet to be signed by both parties.

Upon execution of the agreement, both parties will then submit names of their representatives to the Council and then establish a Joint Secretariat.

They will then facilitate regular meetings of the Council and Parliamentary Group which will ensure that they pursue all good faith opportunities under the current cooperation arrangement that would guarantee achievement of the shared goals in the next election.

The coalition agreement was to be concluded by August 31, but this has not happened due to internal wrangles within the two parties.

The document explains that the two parties' resolve to form a coalition was premised on the need for slaying the dragon of negative ethnicity and building an inclusive society to bring to an end loss of lives, mass displacement of people and loss of property.

The coalition is further seeking to consolidate the gains brought about by the March 9, 2018 handshake between President Uhuru and Raila.

The coalition agreement has caused disquiet in the ruling party with sources indicating that there is a new push by the Kieleweke team to kick out the interim national officials ahead of the National Delegates Conference (NDC) to be held later next month.

Led by Kieni MP Kanini Kega, they stressed that the NDC is the highest organ in handling party matters and should make decisions including review of the performance of the top officials in an interim capacity.

“They have been in office for long. We want to establish those who have lived up to expectation and did well but also give an opportunity for others to serve. It is like a bulldozer, once it has done its work, the clearing of the bush is done by other machines. Nobody is pushing anyone out,” he said.

“ We want to rebrand the party, change the image. While the National Management Committee deals with the day-to-day running of the party, the NDC will deal with serious issues like coalitions and kicking out rebels. Those who have advanced ideologies of other parties like Deputy President William Ruto and his team will have no business attending the NDC.”

He warned that "big names will be removed from the party register. We don’t want saboteurs who are busy scoring own goals. The NDC will be held later next month.”

Jubilee vice chair David Murathe, who alongside secretary-general Raphael Tuju are targeted for ouster, dared those plotting a vote of no confidence at the NDC to petition the party leaders instead of operating in the shadows.

“Of course, it is important to have the NDC. It is called by the party leader. It is the one that passes certain resolutions like the coalition or post-election pact as the one we signed with Kanu after endorsement by delegates.  This is the reason why the Wiper party one was a cooperation agreement,” said Murathe.

“All these people fighting us for engaging with ODM are the same ones in the frontline fighting for space around Raila. We kept away and decided to take a back seat.”

Murathe also said those seeking their removal should seek President Uhuru’s consent - all the while downplaying the agenda of tomorrow’s meeting, saying it is to take stock of the party’s score card.

“If the party leaders wanted us out, he would have done it. We all signed undated resignation letters just like the Cabinet Secretaries and the Principal Secretaries.

"When he wants us out, he will only forward the letter to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties and we will be out,” he said.

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