President's allies plot to retain Uhuru Kenyatta as Jubilee leader beyond 2022

Allies of President Uhuru Kenyatta have told the Sunday Nation that they want the President to continue being the party leader even after retiring as the Head of State next year.

The Jubilee Party will hold its National Delegates Conference (NDC) at the end of the month, in what is believed will mark the official split between President Kenyatta and his estranged deputy William Ruto.

According to Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu, President Kenyatta is expected to help the party in the transition and ensure that Jubilee plays a vital role in the next administration.

“We expect that President Kenyatta will continue being the Jubilee Party leader post 2022, and well into the next term, mainly to ensure the party has settled and taken its place in the next administration,” Mr Wambugu said.

DP Ruto, who is Jubilee’s deputy leader, is expected to be shown the door for his association with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) on whose ticket he plans to contest the presidency in next year’s election.

Jubilee deputy secretary-general and Cherang’any MP Joshua Kutuny revealed that the NDC will adopt a proposal to have more than one deputy party leader.

Ruto's removal

“A decision to remove Ruto from his position as deputy party leader has to be implemented because... it is a demand from the party. We’re going to have many interim officials because we must be on the negotiation table with a team that is going to take over from the current leadership,” Mr Kutuny explained.

The Chereng’any MP also disclosed that they expect President Kenyatta to use the NDC to showcase what his administration has achieved.

Eldas MP Adan Keynan, who is also the secretary of the Jubilee Coalition Joint Parliamentary Group, told the Sunday Nation that focus is on how to make the party likeable.

“Jubilee as a party is being restructured, rebranded and reloaded so that we have a party that addresses the wishes, expectations of the people. Whatever we do, will be people-centred, people-blessed and people-oriented,” said Mr Keynan.

Waning popularity

“Once all these are concluded, we are going to form a coalition with our Handshake partners and other like-minded parties,” he added.

Mr Ngunjiri also revealed that they are not pushing for the NDC to remove secretary-general Raphael Tuju since he is an interim official “who could leave anytime”. 

Kieni MP Kanini Kega, and Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege also said they will seek to have President Kenyatta continue serving as party leader.

“President Kenyatta will not cease to be the party leader of Jubilee,” said Ms Chege.

According to University of Nairobi’s Prof XN Iraki, once a party loses its popularity, it is an uphill task to recover.

“History seems to suggest that once a party loses its popularity, there is no second coming. My hunch tells me that Jubilee will mutate into another party,” he said.