Nairobi, Kenya | September 22, 2026

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has handed over the leadership mantle of the Jubilee Party to former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, marking a transition at the helm of the party as it reorganises ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The handover followed deliberations by the party’s National Executive Council on Tuesday, September 22, with Matiang’i’s assumption of the leadership subject to approval by the Jubilee National Delegates Convention (NDC).

Uhuru is expected to remain a member of Jubilee and continue participating in the party’s affairs in a senior advisory capacity despite relinquishing the formal leadership position.

The transition comes amid recent High Court proceedings concerning whether retired presidents can hold formal leadership positions in political parties. On September 14, Justice Lawrence Mugambi upheld a legal restriction barring retired presidents from holding party office beyond six months after leaving the presidency.

However, on September 21, Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued a separate ruling declaring Section 6 of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act, which imposed the restriction, unconstitutional and void. The two decisions have created conflicting High Court interpretations of the legal position concerning retired presidents and political party office.

Uhuru had already indicated his willingness to facilitate the Jubilee leadership transition following the earlier ruling, saying the process would be conducted in accordance with the party’s constitution.

Matiang’i, who served as Interior Cabinet Secretary during Uhuru’s presidency, now emerges as the proposed successor to the Jubilee leadership as the party prepares for its next phase.

His elevation comes at a time of wider political reorganisation, with opposition parties and political formations holding consultations over alliances and structures ahead of the 2027 General Election.

On Monday, the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition announced that it had adopted the name Ukombozi Alliance as part of its restructuring efforts. The development has added to the ongoing changes within Kenya’s opposition political landscape.

Jubilee will now have to navigate its internal transition while determining its relationships with other political formations and its organisational strategy ahead of the next General Election.

For Uhuru, the handover marks a change from his formal role as Jubilee leader while allowing him to remain a member of the party and participate in its affairs.

For Matiang’i, the proposed leadership transition places him at the centre of Jubilee’s preparations as the party moves towards the 2027 political contest.

The next step will be the National Delegates Convention, whose approval will determine the formalisation of Matiang’i’s position at the helm of the Jubilee Party.