Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has lashed out at Jubilee Party Secretary General Raphael Tuju over his calls to remove Deputy President William Ruto as Deputy party leader.
Cherargei said Tuju had no powers to enforce such a move and that Ruto would continue to visit the party headquarters in his capacity as Deputy party leader.
The legislator said it was unfortunate for Tuju who is holding the position on interim basis to make such remarks adding that all Members of Parliament (MPs) allied to the Deputy President would from next week start operating from Jubilee house.
“We are members of Jubilee and every month we pay Sh10, 000 to fund the party’s operations therefore from Monday we shall operate from the party headquarters and we want Tuju to ensure that we are comfortable while there,” he said.
Speaking at Chemelil in Kisumu County on Saturday, Cherargei said the disrespect being meted on Ruto by a cross-section of party officials was uncalled for and was breeding bad blood and division across the country.
“They must know that by disrespecting the Deputy President, they are disrespecting the President too because the two are conjoined,” he said.
He said party members allied to the DP would mount pressure on the party’s National Executive Committee to organize for elections in two weeks.
All party officials, he said, were interim adding that the move was in contravention of the elections and political parties act.
“Tuju and other party officials who are behaving as if they own the party must know that soon they are going to seek fresh mandate from delegates to hold those positions,” he said.
The allegation that the DP and his allies had formed a new party, Jubilee Asili, he said, were unfounded adding that no party has been registered by that name.
Tuju on Friday announced that Ruto would no longer be allowed access to the party offices adding that the party’s national management committee has recommended his removal as deputy party leader.
“The Deputy President as a self-declared presidential candidate in 2022 will not be allowed to use the Party Headquarters as a center of operations for his 2022 campaign and to use the center for intimidation of any potential opponent or staff,” said Tuju.
Tuju said the decision by Ruto to visit the party headquarters on Thursday accompanied by a number of MPs was in bad faith and meant to ridicule President Uhuru Kenyatta.
With the rift in the party widening, it remains to be seen how the new directive will be enforced as legislators allied to the DP plan to pitch tent at the party headquarters starting Monday.
By Chris Mahandara
