Drama as Jubilee's Jeremiah Kioni, Kanini Kega clash at party meeting

Rival Jubilee Party leaders Jeremiah Kioni and Kanini Kega engaged in a near fight as their contest for the post of party secretary-general intensified.

The two leaders met on Thursday at the people’s dialogue festival at the Museums of Kenya where disagreements arose over who should address the meeting on behalf of the party in the event organized by the Center for Multiparty Democracy.

The battle for the control of the former ruling party played out after the party’s Secretary General Kioni walked to a session where his rival Kega was taking part. The two engaged in a near fistfight but event organisers intervened and separated them

On 9th February, Jubilee Party’s National Executive Council made changes and replaced Kioni with Kega. The changes were ratified by the Registrar of Political Parties but reversed by the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal.

A statement by the Centre for Multiparty Democracy blamed former Ndaragwa lawmaker Kioni for the near confrontation saying it is Kioni that walked into and disrupted an ongoing session in which Kega was participating.

The meeting by the Centre for Multiparty Democracy was attended by other political leaders including Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.

In a statement, the CMD expressed disappointment with the breach of order experienced at the event when factions of the Jubilee party brought internal party differences to the open and clashed publicly before guests and partners.

The statement added that the CMD-Kenya Board is seized of the happenings and there will be deliberations on the next cause of action on Jubilee Party.

Jubilee Party, an affiliate member of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party has since last year’s election experienced political uncertainty after nearly 30 of its Members of Parliament pledged to work with the Kenya Kwanza Government.