Court of Appeal upholds Uhuru Kenyatta’s leadership in Jubilee Party dispute
By Lucy Mumbi |
The stalemate began in 2023 when a section of the Jubilee Party rebel MPs led by Sabina Chege and Kanini Kega staged a revolt as they sought to act as leaders on behalf of Uhuru Kenyatta's party.
The Court of Appeal has denied a request by a group of Jubilee Party officials to challenge the leadership of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In a ruling delivered on November 19, 2024, Justices Jamila Mohammed, Mumbi Ngugi, and F. Ochieng, refused to grant interim stay orders sought by Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny, East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Kanini Kega, and the party’s Disciplinary Committee.
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The faction had sought the orders to overturn a ruling made by the Nairobi High Court in September, which upheld Kenyatta’s leadership of the party.
"In the circumstances of this application, we decline to grant interim orders of stay pending the delivery of the ruling on March 7, 2025," the judges said.
The High Court, under Justice Mulwa, had annulled decisions made by the Kega-led group, citing procedural errors.
Justice Mulwa had found that a notice issued in February 2023 by the faction was improperly executed, meaning any resolutions passed thereafter, including the suspension of senior officials like Jeremiah Kioni, David Murathe, and Kagwe Gichohi, were invalid.
"The majority decision by the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal is an erroneous finding issued by the commissioners and must be disturbed at this stage. I find that the decision of the PPDT illegal and Annuity," Justice Mulwa ruled.
"Having found that every process that was undertaken furtherance of an unprocedural meeting, any decision flowing from the meeting is therefore declared null and void," Mulwa added.
The ruling also overturned a decision by the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal that had validated the actions taken during the disputed National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on February 10, 2023.
Kuttuny and Kega had hoped the Court of Appeal would reverse the High Court’s ruling, but their request for interim relief while awaiting a full hearing was denied.
The Court of Appeal noted that the ruling on the matter would be given on March 7, 2025.
The stalemate began in 2023 when a section of the Jubilee Party rebel MPs led by Sabina Chege and Kanini Kega staged a revolt as they sought to act as leaders on behalf of Uhuru Kenyatta's party.
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