Former President Uhuru failed to protect party interests in Azimio, Jubilee Chair Nelson Dzuya claims

Jubilee Chairperson Nelson Dzuya. [File, Standard]

Jubilee Chairperson Nelson Dzuya has challenged the leadership of former President Uhuru Kenyatta accusing him of failing to protect the party's interests in the Azimio coalition.

Dzuya also alleged that the former Head of State has picked sides in the ongoing dispute in the party, and threatened to kick him out of the party.

This comes a day after the party leader visited Jubilee headquarters in Kileleshwa, Nairobi, to show solidarity with former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni in his battle with ex-Kieni MP Kanini Kega for the party's Secretary-General post.

In a statement on Thursday, April 27, Dzuya also accused Uhuru of mismanaging the party. He says the party has been excluded in the Azimio Parliamentary Group meetings under his leadership.

"It is unfortunate that the party leader waded into the matter apparently without first familiarizing himself with the judgment of the PPDT. His pronouncements yesterday cast him in a bad light for appearing to be raised to be biased and in favour of one party," Dzuya said.

"Under his leadership as the Chairperson of the Azimio Coalition Council the party leader has overseen a systematic emasculation agenda of Jubilee Party from within the Azimio Coalition," he added.

Dzuya has also cited the ouster of Margaret Kamar, Fatuma Dullo, and Sabina Chege as some of the instances where the party was mistreated in the coalition.

The National chairperson also complained that the party has been marginalized in appointment in key committees like the Budget Committee and failing to nominate Jubilee MPs in the Parliamentary bipartisan committee.

The party has had wrangles that have splashed to the Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu. Nderitu has maintained that the issues are internal disputes which can be solved internally.

Last evening, Former Chairperson David Murathe said that the wrangles were caused by ambitious members who want to rise to leadership posts.

Hours before Murathe's interview on NTV, the former president had responded to a distress call by Mr Kioni following running battles between Kioni's and Kega's supporters that forced the police to fire teargas to disperse their supporters.

Uhuru, who is still the Jubilee Party leader, said Kioni remains the party's bonafide secretary general of the political outfit.