Kioni links Uhuru Kenyatta’s continued stay in politics to Jubilee court battles

Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Jeremiah Kioni has said former President Uhuru Kenyatta had planned to leave active politics after exiting office, but internal party disputes and court battles over control of the Jubilee Party forced him to remain involved in political affairs.

Speaking during an interview on Radio Generation on Tuesday, Kioni said Jubilee spent close to three years in court fighting to protect its leadership structure following disputes that emerged after the 2022 General Election.

He noted that the party’s last National Delegates Conference changed the Jubilee constitution to avoid future leadership conflicts by introducing veto powers for the party leader.

“One of the things I made clear and possible, of course, with the help of others, including lawyers, was that you can no longer antagonize Jubilee party as an individual. We have a veto power and Uhuru Mwigai Kenyatta happens to be the party leader today,” he said.

Kioni explained that the changes were informed by prolonged internal struggles between factions allied to him and those linked to East African Legislative Assembly MP Kanini Kega, which weakened party operations and triggered leadership disputes.

He added that the disagreements led to multiple cases before the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal and the High Court, mainly revolving around control of party offices and leadership structures.

According to him, without the legal battles, Uhuru would likely have fully stepped away from frontline politics.

“If Jubilee was not in court, we would not be discussing about Uhuru being in politics today. He has always had the mind of retiring from that active role in a political party,” Kioni said.

He further stated that the former president had expressed a desire to hand over leadership to younger politicians and allow new faces to take charge of the party.

“He honestly wanted to hand over this party to another group of people and also to create room for young people to come in and get into the leadership of this country,” he said.

Kioni’s remarks come at a time when Uhuru’s continued involvement in opposition politics has drawn criticism from some leaders allied to Kenya Kwanza, who have questioned the role of retired presidents in active political engagement.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta regained full control of the Jubilee Party after the High Court upheld resolutions of the 2023 National Delegates Conference, ending a long-running internal leadership dispute that had split the party.

In a ruling delivered on Thursday, June 12, 2025, the court affirmed decisions made during the May 2023 NDC, where Kenyatta presided over major leadership changes within the party.

The ruling nullified actions taken by the Kega–Chege faction, stripping them of any claim to leadership and overturning an earlier decision of September 30, 2024, which had briefly recognised their National Executive Council.

The dispute had stemmed from attempts by the rival faction to remove Kenyatta’s allies from key party positions, leading to a bitter internal power struggle that played out in court. With the latest ruling, Kenyatta’s authority over Jubilee has now been firmly restored.

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In recent weeks, leaders from the Kenya Kwanza side have intensified calls for Uhuru to fully exit partisan politics, arguing that retired presidents should remain neutral.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei recently tabled a Senate motion seeking to review or suspend Uhuru’s retirement benefits, accusing him of engaging in active politics contrary to the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act.

According to the motion, Uhuru had “actively participated in partisan political processes, including attending and addressing political rallies and meetings aligned to specific political formations.”

However, the former Head of State has defended his involvement in national politics, saying he has a right to speak on issues affecting the country despite his retirement.

Speaking via phone during the homecoming ceremony for Jubilee Secretary General Moitalel Ole Kenta on May 1, 2026, Uhuru questioned why his political remarks continue to attract criticism.

“Why’s it that the minute I say something, I’m told I’m retired and should just go home?” Uhuru said.

Kioni also dismissed claims that Jubilee had lost political relevance, insisting the party remained active and was still a key player in opposition politics ahead of the 2027 General Election. He further claimed that several leaders from the Mt Kenya region were unlikely to defend their seats on the ruling UDA ticket.

“Forget about UDA. UDA is not on the cards,” Kioni said, adding that Jubilee and other opposition parties were preparing to reorganise and reconnect with voters after a period of low activity at the grassroots.