NAIROBI, Kenya- Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has handed over the leadership of the Jubilee Party to Dr Fred Matiang’i as the outfit begins preparations for the 2027 General Election.
Kenyatta announced the leadership transition during a meeting at the party’s headquarters on Tuesday, saying he would remain in Jubilee as a senior adviser.
“I will be a senior adviser in Jubilee, then my younger brother climbs up, takes the leadership, so we can organise the work for 2027,” Kenyatta said.
The transition elevates Matiang’i from his position as Jubilee Party deputy leader and places him at the centre of the party’s political strategy ahead of the next election.
Kenyatta endorsed Matiang’i’s leadership record, saying the former Cabinet secretary had demonstrated his ability to serve Kenyans without favouring particular ethnic communities.
“Were you appointed because of your tribe, or were you appointed to serve Kenya?” Kenyatta asked.
“That is why I support someone like Matiang’i. He was given a job and went on to serve Kenyans.”
The former president also used the event to revisit the disputed 2022 presidential election, maintaining that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga won the vote despite the official declaration of President William Ruto as the victor.
“We did everything to help Baba become President of Kenya. He received the votes, and to this day, I know that he won that election,” Kenyatta said.
He added that Jubilee must organise itself to ensure the circumstances he believes affected the 2022 contest are not repeated in 2027.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission declared Ruto the winner of the election with 7,176,141 votes against Odinga’s 6,942,930.
The Supreme Court later dismissed petitions challenging the outcome and upheld Ruto’s election.
Matiang’i served in several senior positions during Kenyatta’s administration, including as Cabinet secretary for Education, Interior and Information and Communications Technology.
His assumption of Jubilee’s leadership strengthens his position as the party reorganises and evaluates its role in the emerging opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
