This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
On Thursday, Deputy President William Ruto met with all the Jubilee MPs who were dewhipped from parliamentary committees on Wednesday at the Jubilee Asili Centre. The exact location of the centre, however, remains unclear, with some speculating it may be situated in Ngong, based on pictures of an expansive greenfield.
According to sources, Ruto allegedly told the lawmakers to focus more on serving the public now that they have been relieved of their committee duties.
As the Jubilee party undergoes a rebranding effort, it has formed a coalition with Wiper and CCM parties, in addition to its earlier agreement with KANU. This new coalition is being referred to as the Jubilee Coalition, leaving many wondering where this leaves the Deputy President and his allies, who insist that they remain with the original party, now called Jubilee Asili.
Despite the rebranding, Ruto's allies claim that he cannot ditch Jubilee at the moment, as he needs the Mt. Kenya vote, with Kikuyus only voting for the President's party.
On June 18, 2020, Ruto took to Twitter, thanking the lawmakers for their exemplary service and urging them to continue focusing on Jubilee's people-centered transformational agenda.
Had lunch with Jubilee MPs who were recently assigned other responsibilities in the party. Thanked them for exemplary service to the party and the nation. I implored them to continue focusing on Jubilee's people-centered transformational agenda now and in the future. SOTE PAMOJA. pic.twitter.com/c0PpFEKTjO — William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) June 18, 2020
