Jubilee warns against move targeting Uhuru’s retirement benefits

The Jubilee Party has stepped up its criticism of President William Ruto’s administration, accusing it of poor governance and relying on former President Uhuru Kenyatta as a scapegoat for current national challenges.

The party also cautioned against what it termed attempts to target Kenyatta over his retirement benefits, saying such actions risk undermining constitutional protections and political fairness.

In a statement released on Monday, Jubilee Secretary General Moitalelel Ole Kenta said the government should concentrate on delivering solutions to citizens instead of engaging in political blame games. The party insisted that Kenyatta’s recent remarks should not be twisted into controversy, arguing that his contributions to national debate are being unfairly politicised.

The dispute stems from comments made by Kenyatta during the Jubilee Maa Delegates Forum held on May 1 in Narok County, where he addressed party members through a phone call. Jubilee said the interaction, which was meant to reconnect and guide party supporters, was later misrepresented.

According to the party, “what was intended as a moment of connection, guidance, and reflection has since been deliberately distorted into a political spectacle,” adding that this has fuelled unnecessary political tension within the country’s leadership circles.

Jubilee questioned the strong reaction to Kenyatta’s address, asking, “what exactly is so threatening about a former President speaking to the people he once led?” It maintained that his message was rooted in concern for citizens and national stability.

The party further defended the former Head of State, saying his comments “were not incendiary, they were reflective… grounded in the lived realities of millions of Kenyans,” even as they sparked debate across political lines.

At the same time, attention has shifted to a motion reportedly introduced by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, which seeks to review, suspend, or reduce retirement benefits for former presidents who remain active in politics. The proposal has been widely interpreted within Jubilee as being directed at Kenyatta following his recent public engagements.

Responding to the proposal, Jubilee dismissed it as “constitutional untenable,” stressing that “retirement benefits for former Presidents are not political favors to be granted or withdrawn at will. They are legal entitlements grounded in law.”

The party further warned that such moves amounted to “a dangerous erosion of the respect and dignity accorded to the Office of the President.”

Jubilee also stood by Kenyatta’s remarks during the Maa forum, saying his message was focused on accountability and national reflection. The party maintained that his input had been wrongly interpreted and reaffirmed that it was “not divisive” but reflective of the country’s current realities.

In its broader criticism of the current administration, Jubilee accused the government of consistently shifting blame to the former Head of State instead of addressing its own performance. The party said, “Every challenge becomes his legacy… every unmet promise is explained away by invoking his name,” arguing that this approach is distracting from governance responsibilities.

It further stated that the government is building “a political narrative anchored not in its own vision or delivery, but in the constant invocation of H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta as a point of blame, distraction, and deflection.”

Jubilee also raised concern over what it described as growing intolerance toward dissent, warning that targeting a former President could send the wrong signal to the public and political class. The party said such actions “sends a chilling message… that dissent is unwelcome, that alternative voices are inconvenient, and that power must not be questioned.”

Reaffirming its position, Jubilee said it “stands for a Kenya where leadership is measured not by the volume of its attacks, but by the depth of its solutions,” urging the government to redirect its focus to rising living costs and economic pressure facing citizens.