Blow to Governor Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap (MCC) party as Political Parties Disputes Tribunal thwarts its attempt to exit the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition.
The Tribunal has struck out the complaint by MCC on grounds that it was prematurely filed.
It has also ruled that MCC should have first invoked the internal dispute resolution mechanisms before going to the tribunal.
On claims that MCC was not aware of the content of the Coalition agreement, the Tribunal says it is hard to believe the argument as no evidence was tabled demonstrating that they asked the Registrar of Political Parties to furnish them with the document.
“It is difficult to find that MCC would have proceeded to execute a Coalition agreement of such magnitude without reading and understanding the same. That argument cannot be used as ground of exit. No request or effort was made towards getting a copy,” said the Tribunal chaired by Desma Nungo.
Mutua had moved to the Tribunal seeking an advisory on whether the agreement with Azimio was binding.
The Machakos governor argued that his party joined Azimio within six months to the election and hence the clause blocking member parties from leaving six months to elections does not hold.
The directive now leaves Mutua with the option of seeking to resolve the matter internally with Azimio La Umoja, despite having joined Deputy President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza.
Mutua, while speaking in a media interview, had revealed that the Azimio agreement was shrouded in secrecy and hence sought a deal with Kenya Kwanza whose terms were transparent.
“In Kenya Kwanza, it’s very clear how many CSs, ambassadors and PSs positions we are getting unlike in Azimio where we were being promised positions if they win the election.
“I’m now a principal in Kenya Kwanza and we are negotiating with other principals to sign a deal,” Mutua intimated.
On the exit clause, he said the constitution guarantees freedom of association.
“You cannot force people to be in an association they are not respected in,” Mutua said.
He said they agreed with Ruto on zero zoning. “All our aspirants will be on the ballot. We also agreed on the role we’ll play when Kenya Kwanza wins and vice versa.”
