Former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi.
Former Meru governor Kiraitu Murungi appears to have lost control of his Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP), popularly known as 'Mbus', after the High Court in Kericho allowed lawyer Mugambi Imanyara to call a delegates' convention to elect interim officials.
Mr Imanyara, who is the party's secretary-general, had been marked for removal from the leadership after falling out with the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the party's founder, Mr Murungi.
Last year, Mr Imanyara blocked an attempt to oust him, through a disciplinary committee, after obtaining a court order.
The dispute took a new turn in May this year when the party gazetted a new list of leaders with Mr Murungi as the party leader.
However, Mr Murungi resigned in a huff on June 30, 2024, after Mr Imanyara served him with a legal proceedings for holding a position in a political party while he was chairman of National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) and a commissioner in the Kenya Law Review Commission.
The dispute led to Mr Imanyara calling a special National Delegates' Convention (NDC) in July, but the meeting was stopped by the Political Parties Disputes Resolution Tribunal (PPDRT).
Aggrieved, party delegates Solomon Chepngeny and Everton Khaemba filed a constitutional petition against the tribunal, the Registrar of Political Parties, Pamela Gakii, and the DEP National Executive Committee. The DEP party and Mr Imanyara are listed as interested parties.
The petitioners argued that the leadership changes had deprived the party of a national outlook by excluding members who were not from Embu and Meru.
The judge declared the tribunal's orders, which stopped a delegates' conference in July, unconstitutional and null and void.
Ms Gakii, a party official, had argued that Mr Imanyara had called an NDC without the express permission of the National Executive Committee.
But Justice Sergon ruled that the tribunal had violated the right of association of party members.
He also found that Ms Gakii, who had petitioned the tribunal, was not a member of the DEP.
The High Court also quashed a Gazette Notice no. 5805 of May this year, which announced changes in the leadership of the Bus Party.
Justice Sergon also ruled that the expulsion of Mr Imanyara as secretary-general was unconstitutional.
The High Court has now directed Mr Imanyara to convene a special National Delegates Convention (NDC) to appoint interim national party officials.
The interim officials are to oversee the election of national party officials within 30 days from October 30.
Mr Imanyara welcomed the High Court ruling, saying it had paved the way for party members to elect officials of their choice.
"I do not understand why officials would oppose a delegates' meeting to elect their officials. I urge them to turn up for the delegates' meeting once it is announced and face the delegates for election," Mr Imanyara said.
