Heavily armed police personnel were observed patrolling city streets, particularly on City Hall Way and Parliament Road, which surround the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), where President Uhuru Kenyatta will be chairing the Jubilee party’s NDC.
President Kenyatta will use the occasion to formally endorse Odinga as his preferred successor and will explain more on why he does not support his deputy William Ruto who started campaigning for the seat 3 years ago.
Both NDC’s are expected to review and formulate the respective party policies and amend and ratify proposed changes in their constitutions.
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Jubilee party delegates will also approve the new seal, symbol, and flag of the party as well as consider other arising matters.
The ruling party convention which is expected to be addressed by President Uhuru Kenyatta is also expected to adopt ‘Mbele Pamoja’ as its new slogan.
Also, to be considered at the NDC is the newly proposed seal, symbol and flag of the party according to an earlier notice from the party’s secretary General Raphael Tuju.
The conventions comes a day after Principals of the One Kenya Alliance announced that they have agreed to work with the Jubilee party and Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement party ahead of the August election.
During day 1 of the NDC on Friday, six political outfits signed a coalition agreement with Jubilee Party as they position themselves ahead of the August 9 polls.
The Parties include; the Party of National Unity (PNU), the Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya(DAPK), United Party of independent Alliance(UPIA),Pamoja African Alliance(PAA) Party, Kenya Union Party, and United Progressive Alliance(UPA)
Jubilee’s NDC comes at a time when the ruling party has remained largely divided with numerous high-calibre defections including the exit of Deputy Party Leader William Ruto who fell out with the President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Party Leader, and formed the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) which he plans to use in seeking the presidency in the August 9 presidential election.
Ruto has received a number of Jubilee lawmakers and Governors including recently Nyandarua Senator Mwangi Githiomi and Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga.
During a recent meeting in Sagana, President Kenyatta openly endorsed Azimio la Umoja’s presidential candidate Raila Odinga to succeed him at the expiry of his 10-year-tenure.
Jubilee’s NDC has been among highly anticipated political events with indications that the governing party could formally kick out Deputy President Ruto and his allies for criticizing the government and the party from within.
The meeting comes at a time when Ruto’s opponents are struggling to counter his influence in the country.
The latest research by Trends and Insights Africa (TIFA) ranked DP Ruto as the most preferred presidential candidate ahead of his top competitor Odinga.
According to the study, 38 per cent of those polled would vote for Ruto while 27 per cent would choose Odinga.
On January 24, Jubilee Party Vice Chairperson David Murathe said the party will endorse Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga as the party’s preferred presidential candidate.