National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale’s (pictured) fate, after at least 130 MPs signed a petition seeking his removal from office, has been sealed. The Standard has reliably learnt that President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is the Jubilee Party Leader, will chair a virtual Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting from State House, Nairobi on Monday. The MPs will converge at the Kenyatta International Conventional Center (KICC) where the President will unveil his new parliamentary leadership team.
A source said Duale was among those targeted for removal. This follows the collection of signatures from Jubilee MPs who said they did not have faith in Duale as the Majority Leader. “The purge is on. The party leader has convened another PG on Monday, where Mr Duale will be shown the door,” said a source aware of developments within Jubilee Party. “The President received the petition from the MPs expressing their lack of confidence in Duale. He (Uhuru) has gone through the petition and made a decision, which will be communicated during the meeting,” said the source. Kieni MP Kanini Kega, who has been pushing for the removal of Duale, yesterday told The Standard that leaders expected the President to convene a meeting any time to fill vacant positions and make changes in House leadership. “I believe by next week, the Party leader will call a meeting to restructure the party leadership in compliance with the Standing Orders that gives him up to Thursday next week,” he said, reinforcing speculations of looming major changes.
The revelations come a day after Deputy President William Ruto met MPs de-whipped from various positions in the National Assembly and Senate. The Kieleweke faction of Jubilee, and which is allied to the President, has been pushing for Duale’s ouster, after Mumias East MP Ben Washiali was stripped of the Majority Whip position. Washiali’s deputy Cecily Mbarire (nominated) was also removed. Duale’s retention irked the Kieleweke brigade, going by the assertions by Majority Whip Emanuel Wangwe and his deputy Maoka Maore, who justified the collection of signatures for his removal as a strategy to get clarity from their party boss. There has been lobbying to save Duale from the planned purge, with some leaders from his backyard holding meetings in the city.
