Jubilee finalizes documentation to transition to JAP

The Jubilee coalition affiliate parties will now collapse and form one party by the end of this year. The coalition’s National Steering Committee on Friday announced that it had finalized all the necessary documents for all parties close shop and join the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP).

According to the committee’s chairman Kiraitu Murungi, there will be a national convection next month where the 12 parties of the coalition will come together and join the new party.

He said the steering committee is currently discussing the new party’s structures, colours, logo and slogan.

“Our main purpose is to break the balkanization of our politics through negative ethnic and regional parties in order to have a strong national party.”

The Meru Senator was addressing the press during a retreat of the JAP National Steering Committee and National Executive Committee (NEC) members of the 12 parties in the Jubilee coalition at the Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha.

He further said that the committee is set to meet Governors and Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) of the coalition ahead of the expected merger later next month.

“The meetings will be conducted beginning next week in every county and we have planned to meet the coalition’s Parliamentary group and leaders at the county levels,” he said.

The chairman said the specific parties have been scheduled to convene their respective National Governing Council meetings that will now ratify the merger.

“The train has already left the station and we are not looking back, therefore, we are determined to make Jubilee Alliance Party the largest and the most vibrant in the country.”

The committee’s co-chair and former Cabinet Minister Dr. Noah Wekesa said they are building a party that will last for decades in the country.

“We are not making this for elections only but for the future and we want a system like the one in India, U.S. and Britain where two or three parties are major.”

The former Minister said the door was still open and said that other like-minded parties are welcome to join the new political outfit.

TNA chairperson Johnson Sakaja dismissed reports that there was discontent among party members over dissolution of their respective parties.

Sakaja said they had all agreed in principal of the new Jubilee Alliance Party adding that all the necessary legal and institutional measures have been put in place.

“We are confident that we will join JAP by December 19^th this year because the party is not about individuals but for Kenyans at large.”

Kipipiri MP Samuel Gichigi termed the new party as the party of choice and one to watch out during the next General Elections.