Former MP Ole Kenta/FILEThe Political Parties Disputes Tribunal has quashed the appointment and recognition of Koitalel Ole Kenta as Secretary General of the Jubilee Party, finding that he did not meet the eligibility requirements for the position.
The tribunal ruled that Kenta’s nomination, appointment and recognition as the party’s Secretary General in March 2026 were unlawful and void from the outset.
“It is declared that the nomination, appointment and recognition of the sixth respondent (Hon. Koitalel Ole Kenta) as Secretary General of the first respondent (Jubilee Party) was unlawful and void ab initio,” the tribunal ruled.
The tribunal also issued an order quashing Kenta’s appointment and recognition as Secretary General and directed the party to undertake a fresh process to fill the position if it wished to do so.
The panel, led by Innocent Muganda, found that the appointment was made when Kenta did not meet the eligibility requirements under the Jubilee Party constitution, particularly the requirement on party membership.
The decision followed a challenge by former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu, who contested changes made to the party’s leadership and their subsequent recognition by the Registrar of Political Parties.
Wambugu, through his lawyer Moses Mabeya, argued that the process leading to the changes was procedurally flawed and contravened statutory and constitutional requirements relating to fair administrative action.
The changes included the recording of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as Deputy Secretary General, alongside other officials who were recorded by the Registrar as duly recognised Jubilee Party office bearers.
In the case, Wambugu sued the Registrar of Political Parties alongside Matiang’i, former Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, Vincent Mogaka Kemosi, Koitalel Ole Kenta, Zack Kinuthia, Yasir Noor and Dann Mwangi.
Wambugu contended that despite lodging a statutory objection to the changes, the Registrar proceeded to adopt and record the disputed changes without giving him an opportunity to be heard.
“Despite the Applicant (Ngunjiri) being the party who lodged the statutory objection, the 2nd Respondent (Registrar of Political Parties) proceeded to adopt and record the impugned changes without notifying, consulting, hearing, or seeking clarification from the Applicant regarding whether the dispute had in fact been resolved,” the former MP argued.
However, the tribunal declined to grant some of the other reliefs sought by Wambugu, finding that parts of his case were not supported by sufficient evidence.
On claims concerning the eligibility of other officials, the tribunal said the complainant’s case was speculative.
It further held that failure by respondents to produce certain records, without more evidence, could not by itself support a finding that the officials were disqualified.
“The tribunal is not satisfied that a failure to produce records without more can found an affirmative finding of disqualification in respect to these respondents,” it said.
The tribunal added that there was no positive indication establishing whether the other officials met or failed to meet the qualifications.
The tribunal also declined a challenge relating to the gender rule, finding that the allegation had not been proved through evidence.
However, on Kenta’s appointment, the tribunal found sufficient grounds to nullify the process, specifically his lack of eligibility under the party constitution at the time of his appointment.
The decision means Jubilee Party will have to undertake a fresh process to fill the Secretary General position if it wishes, in accordance with its constitution and applicable requirements.
