12 parties endorse dissolution to join Jubilee Party

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto will officially seek re-election through the Jubilee Party after twelve affiliate parties under the ruling coalition formally agreed to dissolve at a retreat in Naivasha that ended Saturday.

The move to fold the parties was overwhelmingly endorsed, despite continued opposition from some members who claimed that the move is a threat to democracy.

The two-day retreat in Naivasha saw TNA, URP, APK, Ford-People, New Ford Kenya, CCU, GNU, DP, NARC and the Republican Party endorse the merger to be made official on December 19^th.

Notably, KANU is not party to the merger, with its chair Senator Gideon Moi last week saying KANU will not close shop.

“The new party will be owned by all Kenyans and strongly based at the counties and we have discussed political mobilisation at the grassroots,” said Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi.

Their strategy is one that has the party’s sights set on counties – a devolved party – whose national connection will be a theatre of action from the counties.

“We have called everyone to the negotiating table,” said TNA Chairperson Johnson Sakaja.

Next week Tuesday, the national steering committee will meet members of Parliament, senators and governors.

In two weeks, the party colours, logo and slogan are to be unveiled.

However, perceived party rebels may have to shape up or ship out of the new party, with proposed amendments to the political parties act that seek to have members of the twelve dissolving parties automatically become Jubilee Party members for the remainder of their term, and not be cushioned by law to either be independent or move to a party of their choice.

When a political party merges with another political party, a member of the political party that has merged with another political party and who is a Member of Parliament, or of a county assembly, a governor or deputy governor, shall be deemed to have joined the merged political party.