Raphael Tuju lawyers say order suspending KANU-Jubilee coalition were forged

Lawyers representing Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju now say that a letter presented to the Senate on Tuesday by senate ex-Majority whip Susan Kihika was forged.

The letter had claimed that Political Parties Disputes Resolution Tribunal had suspended the coalition between KANU and Jubilee until a duly convened National Executive Committee (NEC) approves the pact.

The lawyers further claim that the letter from the Tribunal had been edited out to carry the wrong information and purport that Jubilee did not have the quorum needed for Senators Murkomen and Kihika ouster.

The letter now deemed as a forgery and presented to the Senate speaker read as follows:

“A interim order be and is hereby issued restraining the 2nd and 3rd Respondents from making any Coalition Agreements on behalf of the 1st Interested Party, Jubilee Party, with any party/parties without a valid formal resolution of a duly convened National Executive Committee of Jubilee Party and in strict compliance with the provisions of Regulation 21 of the Political Parties (Registration) Regulation, 2019 and Article 32.2 of the 1st Interested Party’s Constitution.”

The letter which had been authored by the tribunal on the other hand, read as follows:

“THAT pending the hearing and determination of this application inter parties this Honourable Tribunal be pleased to issue an order staying the decision of the 1st Respondent in her letter dated 8th May 2020 recognizing a coalition agreement purportedly signed between the 1st and 2nd Interested Parties and deposited on 4th May 2020.”

Tuju lawyers have demanded a quick inquiry into the matter and the prosecution of the parties who defaced the letter.

While opposing their ouster on Tuesday, ex-Majority leader in the senate Kipchumba Murkomen argued that his ouster was unlawful as Jubilee did not have the quorum as needed.

Murkomen claimed the 20 senators who reportedly voted in favour of the ouster were only 17 since the three from KANU could not have purported to speak for Jubilee.