DP William Ruto's team suffers setback as Jubilee Asili Party is reserved by city trader Andrew Simiyu

DP Ruto's team suffers setback as Jubilee Asili Party gets a new owner

Tony Mukere

June 25, 2020 12:50 PM

Political developments moving fast

DP William Ruto's team suffers setback as Jubilee Asili Party is reserved by city trader Andrew Simiyu

Deputy President William Ruto's allies attempt to register Jubilee Asili as a political party has come to a disappointing end after they realized the name had already been reserved by a city businessman.

Ruto's allies opened the Jubilee Asili offices which they said would form a movement of those who shared the original aspirations of the Jubilee Party.

Soy MP Caleb Kositany, who is also the Jubilee Party Deputy Secretary General, had indicated that the DP's team would also register Jubilee Asili into a political party.

However, upon inquiring with the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, they established that the name had already been reserved by one Andrew Simiyu.

Interestingly, Simiyu denied having any interest in politics and claimed he was made the application after he found the name interesting.

"I am waiting for feedback from the registrar to know the fate of my application. I am not interested in politics. I am just a businessman engaged in clearing and forwarding. I was just excited by the name," Simiyu told the Nation.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, one of those running the Jubilee Asili movement, claimed Simiyu was being used by people who want to frustrate the DP.

"What I know is that it is not possible to register such a name, according to the Political Parties Act,” Kuria said.

There are several political parties that have closely resembling names such as Ford Kenya, Ford Asili, ODM, and UDM.

However, the Registrar of Political Parties can decline an application where the new party "so nearly resembles the name or symbol, or an abbreviation of the name of another political party."

Jubilee Asili movement has closely borrowed from the Jubilee Party as it uses the same logo and colors - only dropping the color red.

Kositany said the DP's allies said they were not worried by the registration of Jubilee Asili and that they were ready to form another political party

Tony Mukere