UDA writes to registrar declaring dispute with Jubilee over coalition agreement

 

United Democratic Alliance secretary general Veronica Maina has written to the Political Parties Registrar declaring a dispute with coalition partner Jubilee Party.

In a statement to the registrar on Thursday, the party declared a dispute, following a move by the Jubilee seeking to break a coalition with it.

“As provided for in the coalition agreement deposited in your office on May 30, 2018, in compliance with Section 10 (4) of the Political Parties Act NO. 11 of 2012. Schedule 3 thereof ad further pursuant to provisions f Article 6 of the said Coalition agreement, we have therefore declared dispute,” Maina said.

She said that the relevant organs of the coalition parties shall undertake appropriate arbitration process in a bit to resolve the dispute, and will inform the registrar about the outcome.

Maina said parliamentarians holding office as per the coalition agreement, including the deputy Majority Leader of the Senate Fatuma Dullo, have been asked to continue holding the office until the arbitration team determines the fate of the coalition.

Jubilee Party secretary general Rapahel Tuju had written to the Political Parties Registrar on the dissolution of a 2018 partial coalition pact with PDR, now UDA.

In a letter dated April 19, Tuju said in the run-up to the 2017 elections, they had entered an arrangement of cooperation with PDR in the Counties of West Pokot, Wajir, Isiolo, Garissa and Mandera.

“That cooperation did not include any other county out of the specifically mentioned counties,” he said.

They lodged a proposed Coalition Agreement with PDR in 2018 based on those specific objectives as captured in Article 3 of the agreement.

“The Jubilee Party National Management Committee, after considering the prevailing political and legal hurdles facing the proposed coalition, have found it improper and untenable to complete the formulation of the Coalition,” he said.

Tuju said the party has resolved that all PDR officials that were engaged in coalition discussions have been changed and the new officials have exhibited hostility by actively fielding candidates in areas outside the original areas covered by cooperation.

Last month, Deputy President William Ruto said that if Jubilee party crumbles, he will use the knowledge gained from the party to build UDA.

Ruto said cases of elimination from the party had caused fear.   BY THE STAR