NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 4- Ford Kenya party held its National Delegates Conference (NDC) Thursday despite an order by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) that suspended it.
The meeting was convened by the party leader Moses Wetangula who told the delegates that the party remains strong. He did not however, comment on the court order.
Invited guests at the NDC include Wetangula’s co-principals in the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper party), Gideon Moi (KANU) and Cyrus Jirongo among others.
During the NDC, Wetangula was endorsed as the party’s presidential flag bearer in next year’s elections.
“This is a party where democracy thrives,” he said, and thanked delegates for endorsing him and assured that “Once elected as president I will ensure Kenya takes its stage in the world scene as a peacemaker in the region and globe.”
He also pledged to “relieve the tax payer the burden of paying taxes on everything.”
Ford Kenya is one of the partners in the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) and has assured that it will field a presidential candidate in the coming weeks.
“God knows who will be the presidential candidate of OKA. I hope it will be yours truly Moses Wetangula,” he said.
On Wednesday, the tribunal said it suspended the NDC pending the hearing and determination of a petition filed by Crispinus Barasa under a certificate of urgency.
“That pending inter parties hearing and determination of the Notice of Motion application dated November 2, 2021, interim orders for injunction be and are hereby issued restraining the second respondent from proceeding with the NDC,” the tribunal ruled.
The case will be mentioned on November 15.
The PPDT also halted a splinter faction meeting of the party that was slated for Saturday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
“Restraining the 2nd respondents from proceeding with N.D.C of the interested party slated for 6th November 2021 and or the interested party from proceeding with its N.D.C on the 6th of November 2021 as called for /or convened by the 3rd respondent,” the order states in part.
Wetangula has had it rough leading the party after a faction declared that it had ousted him in June last year.
A gazette notice by the Registrar of Political Parties, Anne Nderitu, that was issued in June last year shows that Wetangula had been replaced by Athanas Wafula Wamunyinyi.
Wetangula however, condemned the party, coup and declared he remains its defact0 leader.
In the Thursday NDC, officials said Wetangula ws to be named as the party’s presidential flag bearer for the 2022 General Election to solidify his bargaining power in the OKA team that has vowed to front a joint candidate.
The rival team led by Tongaren MP was to convene on Saturday the agenda being the adoption of previous minutes, ratification of general council resolutions 2016, the election of national officials, acceptance speeches and any other business.
The orders given by Desma Nungo, the Chairperson of the PPDT, directed that the respondents and interested parties in the case file and serve their responses within seven days from the date of service.
Wrangles in Ford Kenya started in May last year after a section of its leaders resolved to dismiss Wetangula on grounds of gross misconduct.
Wetangula was purportedly replaced by Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi as the interim party leader, in what the Bungoma Senator dismissed and insisted that he remains the party’s de-facto leader.
Eseli has since written to the Registrar of Political Parties, saying that Wetangula should not represent the party in any coalition agreements.
He has also written to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, asking the Raila Odinga-led party to withhold Ford Kenya’s share of funds from the Political Parties Fund that was allocated to the now defunct coalition that brought together Musalia’s ANC and Kalonzo’s Wiper.
ODM said it would withhold the Sh36 million share of Ford Kenya until the court decides who the genuine party leaders are.
By Fred Azelwa.