Jubilee party has discharged Kiambu senator Kimani Wamatangi from majority chief whip position as well as all committees for joining United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
According to a letter sent to him by Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni, his decamping from Jubilee to UDA was deemed as a resignation.
“Senator Paul Kimani Wamatangi immediately ceases to hold the office of Majority Chief Whip in the Senate,” said Kioni.
In the letter copied to the Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka, Kioni asked Wamatangi to submit written submission before the party by close of business today if he feels unsatisfied by the committee’s resolution to kick him out.
“In the event that the party does not receive your representation by the stated deadline necessitating a meeting of the NMC to be called for further consideration of the matter the Speaker of the Senate is hereby notified for his record and further action,” Kioni said.
Wamatangi was appointed as the Majority Chief Whip in the Senate in February 2021, after the then-holder, Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata, was ousted for warming up to Deputy President William Ruto’s political camp.
Kang’ata had held the post for nine months following the ejection of his predecessor, Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika, who was removed from the position in May 2020.
The move comes after the Jubilee party said they will kick out over 100 dissident lawmakers who defected to the UDA party before their mandates in Parliament expired.
Officials from the Pangani-based party were preparing a list of senators and National Assembly members elected on a Jubilee Party platform yesterday, with the intention of writing to both Houses’ Speakers demanding that they all be sent home.
On membership resignation, court advisories, and Article 103 of the Constitution, the ruling party’s Vice Chairman, David Murathe, said they will rely on Section 14A and 14B of the Political Parties Act.
The ruling party’s Vice Chairman, David Murathe, said they will rely on Section 14A and 14B of the Political Parties Act on membership resignation, court advisories and Article 103 of the Constitution.
These are explicit that MPs automatically lose their elective positions if they stop being members of the political parties that sponsored them during the elections, by either resigning or being expelled.
According to Murathe, the party was preparing a list of those who have sent their resignation letters to them, and after counter-checking with the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties.
On confirming their status, they will write to clerks of the respective Houses asking them to invoke Article 103 of the Constitution on vacation from the office of an MP and have the positions declared vacant.
“The law is very clear that a seat becomes vacant the moment the holder switches political parties. Most of these MPs want to defend their seats on UDA tickets. For that to happen, they will be required to resign from our party,” said Murathe.