By Robert Nyasato
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has handed over the leadership of Jubilee Party to former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
Kenyatta also backed his former Cabinet minister to lead the party into the 2027 General Election.
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The transition took place on Tuesday at Jubilee Party headquarters in Nairobi during a National Executive Council meeting, with the handover expected to be formalised by the party’s National Delegates Convention.
Mr Kenyatta, who has led Jubilee since its formation, said he would remain involved in the party as a senior adviser after relinquishing the formal leadership position.
The move follows a High Court ruling upholding a law that bars retired presidents from holding leadership positions in political parties more than six months after leaving office. Jubilee subsequently said it would comply with the ruling.
Mr Kenyatta urged opposition parties seeking to field a joint presidential candidate in 2027 to resolve the question early, using the phrase “mapema ndio best”.
He also said the decision on who becomes Kenya’s next president ultimately belongs to voters, while making clear that his own vote would go to Dr Matiang’i.
The former president further challenged President William Ruto to stop dragging him into political name-calling, saying he had handed over power peacefully in 2022 despite maintaining that the late opposition leader Raila Odinga had won that election.
Mr Kenyatta said he had accepted the outcome and transferred power to Mr Ruto, but questioned why the current administration continued to blame him for its problems.
His remarks came amid renewed criticism of his record and role in the current political contest.
Matiang’i’s elevation ends an immediate succession contest that emerged after Mr Kenyatta indicated he would relinquish the Jubilee leadership following the court ruling.
Former Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni had also offered himself for the party leadership, saying he would seek the position through the party’s internal democratic processes.
The handover now places Matiang’i at the centre of Jubilee’s preparations for the August 10, 2027 General Election, as opposition parties continue consultations over whether and how to field a single presidential candidate.
Other prominent figures linked to the opposition presidential contest include Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua, United Green Movement presidential hopeful David Maraga, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, Democratic Congress Party leader Rigathi Gachagua and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna of the Linda Mwananchi Movement.
The challenge of settling on a single opposition presidential flagbearer remains unresolved.
Recent discussions have centred on different methods of choosing the candidate, including negotiations among political leaders and wider consultation with voters.
Dr Matiang’i’s takeover comes at a critical stage in the opposition’s attempts to organise ahead of 2027, with Jubilee also expected to engage other political formations as alliances take shape.
