Standoff at Jubilee conference as delegates demand pay

Standoff at Jubilee conference as delegates demand pay

There was a standoff at Jubilee’s inaugural delegates’ conference on Friday after attendants turned unruly demanding immediate payment of their allowances.

The delegates shouted down some of the speakers in a bid to make known their intention not to allow the meeting to proceed until their allowances are paid.

The evidently infuriated delegates, from several counties across the country, responded to the ‘Jubilee’ greetings with chants of “pesa” (money) instead the usual “Tuko Pamoja” slogan.

Not even talk from Nominated MP Johnson Sakaja and Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen could calm the delegates, who at that point indicated readiness to publicly express their discontent when Deputy President William Ruto came to address them.

“We understand that you have not been paid your allowances and we are working on resolving that. We will make sure the money which was to be sent to you via M-PESA is brought here and given to you today,” said Murkomen, amid voices of disapproval from the delegates.

Murkomen and Sakaja then called MPs and Governors to the stage to assure the delegates that their allowances would be paid.

Sakaja then called on the Governors to work with other elected leaders in the counties to pay the delegates and then seek refund from the kitty allocated for the delegates’ allowances.

The delegates could, however, hear none of that as they demanded to be paid before the conference begins.

“We have been taken round for two days and we will not buy any of this talk. We demand to be paid now,” shouted one of the delegates who did not want his name revealed.

The delegates made true their threats and continued with the ‘pesa’ chants after according DP Ruto a warm reception.

The DP swiftly moved to calm the delegates by assuring them that he would look into the matter and ensure their allowances are paid in full before they left the venue, a pronouncement that was wildly applauded.

“I have heard that there are issues of allowances that are yet to be sorted out,” he said to an overwhelming response from the delegates.

“Jubilee is your party and is also the government so issues of allowances cannot be a problem. I will make sure this issue is addressed before you leave here today.”

Earlier, some members of New Ford Kenya had expressed their displeasure with their party officials over unpaid allowances.

One of the party delegates who sought anonymity said that they had not received allowances since arriving thus making them ‘beg for food and accommodation’.

The delegates had been promised allowances to cater for their food and accommodation during the three-day delegates meeting totaling to Ksh 9,000 for the three days of the conference.

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