Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has signalled his readiness to hand over the leadership of the Jubilee Party following a High Court ruling restricting retired presidents from continuing to hold formal leadership positions in political parties.
Kenyatta's office said the former president welcomed the legal clarity provided by the ruling and was prepared to facilitate a transition in the former ruling party.
The High Court ruling concerned Section 6 of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act, which restricts a retired president from holding office in a political party beyond six months after leaving the presidency.
Citizen Digital reported that the ruling does not prevent a retired president from joining or participating in political-party activities but restricts holding formal party office.
Kenyatta left office in September 2022 after serving two terms as Kenya's fourth president but remained Jubilee Party leader amid prolonged disputes over control of the party.
His office said the delay in completing the leadership transition had been linked to the internal leadership dispute that engulfed Jubilee after the 2022 General Election.
End of an era for Jubilee
Kenyatta has led Jubilee since the party's rise to power and presided over its dominance of Kenyan politics during his second presidential term.
The party, however, suffered major political upheaval following the breakdown of Kenyatta's relationship with his then-deputy William Ruto and the subsequent 2022 elections.
Jubilee later became part of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, which backed Raila Odinga's presidential campaign.
The former ruling party has since experienced prolonged leadership battles, defections and competing claims over its political direction.
Kenyatta's decision to facilitate a handover could therefore open another chapter for Jubilee as it prepares for the 2027 General Election.
What happens to Uhuru politically?
The judgment does not necessarily end Kenyatta's involvement in politics.
The distinction is important: the court's interpretation restricts his ability to occupy formal party leadership while allowing political participation.
That leaves open questions over the extent of Kenyatta's influence within Jubilee and the wider opposition ahead of 2027.
Attention will also turn to Jubilee's leadership succession and whether the transition changes its relationship with other opposition parties.
For Jubilee, the immediate challenge is likely to be converting the leadership transition into a clearer organisational and electoral strategy ahead of the next General Election.
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