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Kenya African National Union (KANU) has suspended its Secretary General Nick Salat for what it termed gross misconduct and violation of the party constitution.

The decision was arrived at after a meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) under the chairmanship of party leader Gideon Moi in Nakuru yesterday morning.

The letter communicating the decision of the party’s NEC states that Salat stands suspended until the Disciplinary committee moves first with the proceedings against the allegations leveled against him.

“You are hereby suspended forthwith from carrying out and/ or performing your duties as the party’s secretary general pending the determination of the disciplinary proceedings,” reads part of Moi’s letter to Salat.

In the exercise of the NEC’s mandate under Article 15 of the Constitution, the committee resolved to refer the matter to the disciplinary committee as provided under Article 7.2 (a) (iii) of the constitution.

“This is to notify you that in the National Executive Council meeting on December 15, several complaints on your conduct and violation of the party constitution were placed before members for discussion,” reads part of the letter.

Moi noted that the complaints against Salat on face value appeared serious and that the jurisdiction to deal with such matters constituting disciplinary measures lies with the disciplinary committee as provided for under article 34 of the Constitution.

However, Salat fought back the suspension saying that both him and Moi are interim officials and that both are at the same level. According to Salat, the National Delegates Conference (NDC) held in 2012 installed both of them as interim officials and that Moi has no capacity or any imaginary powers to suspend him.

He instead claimed that his push to put in place a strategy to revive the fortunes of the party was behind his suspension, adding that Kanu is an Independence party and will not die in the hands of Moi.