The Speaker for the National Assembly, Justin Muturi, now faces an ejection threat from his own party the Democratic Party of Kenya.
This follows a petition filed with the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) the party’s deputy Secretary-General Wambugu Nyamu, Director of Elections Daniel Munene and a member of the party named King’ori Choto.
The three argued Muturi has been the party member for less than a year, which is less than the required time one is eligible for election as the party’s leader.
According to the petitioners, the party’s constitution says that nobody shall be eligible to be elected if they had not been a party member for a period of one year before elections unless with the leave of application granted by a majority decision of the outgoing National Executive Council (NEC).
Therefore, they claimed argued Muturi cannot act for the party in any forum because he is ineligible apart from the fact that he has not paid the requisite fees for appointment to such a position.
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“[H]e is hence ineligible and is yet to pay the requisite fees for appointment to such position hence cannot purport to act for the party in any given forum,” the petition read in part.
Muturi, Joseph Munyao Esau Kioni, Jacob Haji and Mathai Joseph have been listed as respondents in the suit.
The Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu, DP and Kenya Kwanza Alliance have also been listed in the petition as interested parties.
The petitioners also accused Muturi of running the affairs of their party in a manner that was not transparent and has deliberately concealed the details of the resolutions signed during the February NDC as well as the list of delegates who attended the NDC.
They also dismissed Muturi’s move to enter a coalition government with Kenya Kwanza alliance leader William Ruto without authority from party members or justification.
The petitioners also said they have been ejected from WhatsApp groups following their complaints and suppressed for demanding ratification of the purported coalition agreement.
They also claim that they have been threatened by respondents in the suit for their stand.
"That in a reaction aimed to suppress these complaints and force Kenya Kwanza to ratify the purported coalition agreement, the respondents have been issuing threats to the complainants and have ejected them from WhatsApp groups,” the petition partly read.
The petitioners want the PPDT to issue orders barring the respondents from discussing, ratifying, perpetuating or promoting the purported coalition agreement with Kenya Kwanza until their application is heard and determined.
They also want the Registrar of Political Parties to be barred from registering any documents with DP being among the signatories, purporting to be coalition agreements.
“Pending the hearing and determination of this matter, the honourable tribunal be pleased to issue an order restraining the respondents forthwith from negotiating with any other political party on behalf of DP for the purposes of forming any coalition or other arrangement in contravention of the NDC resolutions of February 20, 2022,” the petition read.
The PPDT chairman Desma Nungo directed that the matter be mentioned before Jessica M’betsa, Adelaide Mbithi and Samuel Nderitu on Tuesday afternoon for further directions.