Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has agreed to hand over the leadership of the Jubilee Party following a recent High Court ruling concerning the role of retired presidents in political parties.
The development follows a judgment by Justice Lawrence Mugambi on the interpretation of Section 6 of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act. The court upheld the provision that limits retired presidents from holding formal leadership positions in political parties beyond six months after leaving office.
Uhuru welcomed the court’s decision and said it provides the legal clarity needed to complete the long-delayed transition within Jubilee.
Uhuru Accepts Jubilee Leadership Handover
In a statement issued on September 15, Uhuru said he respected the High Court’s decision and was prepared to facilitate the transition of the Jubilee Party chairmanship.
His position follows a lengthy dispute surrounding the party’s leadership after he left State House in September 2022.
According to reports, Uhuru explained that the delay in handing over the position was not simply a matter of refusing to leave the leadership role. He pointed to an internal dispute within Jubilee that had made the transition difficult and said the court’s interpretation had now provided the necessary clarity.
The former President said the handover should be completed in accordance with the Jubilee Party constitution and through the appropriate party processes.
What the High Court Ruling Means
The High Court ruling does not prevent retired presidents from remaining members of political parties or participating in political activities.
Instead, the judgment concerns their ability to continue holding formal party offices after the six-month period provided under the law.
The ruling has therefore created a legal basis for Jubilee to proceed with the leadership transition while allowing Uhuru to remain involved in political activities as permitted by law.
The decision comes after years of uncertainty over Uhuru’s position within Jubilee.
Jubilee Begins Looking for a New Leader
With Uhuru preparing to leave the formal leadership position, attention has already turned to who will take over.
Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Jeremiah Kioni has publicly offered himself as a candidate to succeed Uhuru.
Kioni said he would seek the position through the party’s established constitutional procedures, with delegates expected to determine the next leader through the National Delegates Convention.
Other Jubilee figures have also stressed that the succession should follow the party’s rules rather than being decided through an informal arrangement.
Former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu, for example, has called for the National Delegates Convention to determine Uhuru’s successor.
Long-Running Jubilee Leadership Dispute
The leadership question has been an issue within Jubilee for several years.
Uhuru remained the party’s leader after leaving the presidency in 2022. In 2023, a faction within the party declared the position vacant and installed nominated MP Sabina Chege as acting party leader, citing the legal restriction on retired presidents.
The disagreement contributed to wider divisions within the party and prolonged uncertainty over its formal leadership structure.
The latest High Court ruling has now provided a legal interpretation that Jubilee can use to complete the transition.
What Happens Next for Jubilee?
The next stage will involve the party’s internal processes for selecting a new leader.
Kioni has already expressed interest in succeeding Uhuru, but the final decision is expected to depend on Jubilee’s constitutional procedures and its delegates.
Uhuru’s agreement to hand over the position marks a significant change in the formal leadership of a party that played a major role in Kenyan politics during his presidency.
The transition will also give Jubilee an opportunity to establish a new leadership structure as Kenya’s political parties prepare for the 2027 General Election.
For now, Uhuru’s position is clear: he has accepted the court’s interpretation and is ready for the Jubilee Party leadership handover to proceed through the appropriate legal and constitutional process.
