Uhuru changes venue of Jubilee delegates' meeting amid dispute

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced a new venue for the controversial Jubilee National Delegates Conference scheduled for Monday.

In a notice published in Saturday's dailies, Mr Kenyatta said the meeting would now be held at Ngong Racecourse in Nairobi after his party was blocked from using the Bomas of Kenya.

"Notice is hereby given that the venue of the Jubilee NDC has been moved to Ngong Racecourse, Nairobi. All other details remain as in the notice issued on 29 April 2023.

He issued the notice on the same day that the party's Internal Dispute Resolution Committee also published a notice in the dailies suspending the convention, which was aimed at ousting rebels led by East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Kanini Kega and nominated MP Sabina Chege.

"The committee directs that the notice issued by the respondent (Mr Kenyatta) to convene a special national delegates' convention is hereby stayed and suspended pending the hearing and determination of the dispute," said committee chairman Gideon Solonka.

In an escalation of the battle for the soul of the party, the Kega faction last week dragged Mr Kenyatta before the committee for alleged gross misconduct.

Mr Kenyatta is accused of violating the party's constitution by "irregularly" convening the delegates' conference.

“Take notice that a dispute has been filed against you and received by the Internal Dispute Resolution Committee. You are hereby required to file your response, together with any supporting documentation, with the committee within two days of this notification,” a letter to the former head of state said.

“You shall be notified of a hearing date when you shall be accorded an opportunity to be heard before the committee makes its final determination on the matter.”

But Mr Kenyatta's camp has insisted that the Jubilee NDC, which will be used to kick out party rebels, will go ahead as planned.