The much-hyped Jubilee-ODM partnership talks have been put on hold for five months as the Jubilee party opts to focus on putting its collapsing house in order first.
After the Jubilee party’s loss in Bonchari, Juja, Kiambaa constituency by-elections, the party appears to have considered halting the Jubilee-ODM partnership talks until it rediscovers its form.
On Monday, July 19, Jubilee’s National Management Committee agreed to halt the talks in order to strengthen party structures and improve their public image which has really taken a. hit in the recent past.
Speaking to the Star newspaper, the party’s deputy secretary-general Joshua Kutuny said that the party does not intend to back out of the Jubilee-ODM partnership talks for good.
“We agreed that at least for now, we should drop the idea of the merger and instead focus on revamping the party for the next four months,
“The merger idea is on the table but not for now. Let it come at a later date when we have finished rejuvenating our party and made it a formidable force,” Kutuny said.
The Jubilee Party has appeared to be in shambles lately, with many members blaming the fall on the party’s leadership.
In the meeting held at its Pangani headquarters on Monday, members of the party allegedly asked secretary general Raphael Tuju and Vice-chair David Murathe to desist from making political statements on behalf of the party.
The two are said to have been asked instead to only concentrate on running day to day operations of the party.
Concerns about the downward spiral of the Jubilee Party’s fortunes were elicited after the recent loss in the Kiambaa by-election.
Furthermore, the party has been subjected to ridicule because it is losing the grip of the Mt Kenya region, the backyard of party leader Uhuru Kenyatta.
After the win of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) John Njuguna in the Kiambaa by-election, a section of residents of Kiambaa were captured, singing dirges for Jubilee Party.
The dirges signified that Jubilee Party was dead, and has been buried.
