NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 25 — The Jubilee Party will begin its much-anticipated National Delegates Conference (NDC) on Friday to chart the way forward as the party positions itself for the August 9 polls.
The two-day NDC set to conclude on Saturday will be held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
Matters prioritized in the agenda include the review, formulation and/or approval of all policies of the party.
Also, to be considered at the NDC is the newly proposed seal, symbol and flag of the party according to an earlier notice from the party’s secretary General Raphael Tuju.
The event comes at a time when the ruling party has remained largely divided with numerous high-calibre defections including the exit of Deputy Party Leader William Ruto who fell out with the President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Party Leader, and formed the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) which he plans to use in seeking the presidency in the August 9 presidential election.
Ruto has received a number of Jubilee lawmakers and Governors including recently Nyandarua Senator Mwangi Githiomi and Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga.
During a recent meeting in Sagana, President Kenyatta openly endorsed Azimio la Umoja’s presidential candidate Raila Odinga to succeed him at the expiry of his 10-year-tenure.
Jubilee’s NDC has been among highly anticipated political events with indications that the governing party could formally kick out Deputy President Ruto and his allies for criticizing the government and the party from within.
The meeting comes at a time when Ruto’s opponents are struggling to counter his influence in the country.
The latest research by Trends and Insights Africa (TIFA) ranked DP Ruto as the most preferred presidential candidate ahead of his top competitor Odinga.
According to the study, 38 per cent of those polled would vote for Ruto while 27 per cent would choose Odinga.
On January 24, Jubilee Party Vice Chairperson David Murathe said the party will endorse Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga as the party’s preferred presidential candidate.
Speaking during a meeting between Odinga and leaders from Murang’a, Murathe indicated that this is due to the fact the Jubilee does not have its own presidential candidate.
“We will hold a National Delegates Conference where you all know that our party leader is President Uhuru Kenyatta. At that NDC, we shall ask our delegates to pass a resolution that our Presidential candidate be Raila Amollo Odinga under the Azimio La Umoja Movement,” he stated.
Jubilee had in November 2021 postponed its NDC citing unavailability of President Kenyatta who was scheduled to deliver the State of the Nation Address in Parliament.
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