NAIROBI, Kenya — Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has agreed to hand over the leadership of the Jubilee Party following a High Court ruling upholding a law restricting retired presidents from holding political party positions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 15, Kenyatta said he had accepted the judgment delivered by High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi and was ready for the transition to proceed.
The court upheld Section 6 of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act, which governs the participation of retired presidents in formal political party leadership.
“The Office of the former President has taken note of the High Court’s ruling upholding Section 6 of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act, which guides the transition of retired presidents from formal political party leadership,” the statement said.
Kenyatta said he had received the ruling with respect for the Judiciary, describing it as part of Kenya’s democratic development.
“He notes that the court’s ruling is not a restriction on his political life; it is a reaffirmation of our democratic maturity,” the statement added.
“The fourth President of the Republic of Kenya acknowledges that leadership is not the chair one occupies; it is the trust one cultivates.”
His office said the delayed transfer of the Jubilee Party chairmanship had not been caused by his unwillingness to relinquish the position.
It attributed the delay to a protracted internal dispute that required legal clarification.
“With the court’s guidance, that path is now clear,” the statement said.
Kenyatta affirmed his willingness to have the handover completed openly, lawfully and in accordance with the Jubilee Party constitution.
He said he expected the party’s internal processes to proceed without further obstacles.
“The former President affirms his absolute willingness to see the handover completed openly, lawfully, and in strict accordance with the Party’s constitution,” his office said.
Kenyatta also welcomed what he termed a new chapter for Jubilee, saying the party should be guided by the rule of law and carried forward by a new generation of leaders.
The statement did not identify the person expected to take over the chairmanship or provide a timetable for completing the transition.
Jubilee will consequently be required to use its internal structures and party constitution to select or confirm its next leader.
The development follows prolonged leadership disputes within the former ruling party, with rival groups contesting control of its structures and officials.
Kenyatta served as Kenya’s fourth president between 2013 and 2022. Jubilee was formed ahead of the 2017 General Election through the merger of several political parties and became the vehicle through which he secured his second presidential term.
