Former President Uhuru Kenyatta is considering handing over the leadership of his Jubilee Party to ex-Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i ahead of the 2027 elections, the Nation has learnt.
Mr Kenyatta has convened a special National Delegates Conference (NDC) for the former ruling party on September 26 for members to make a resolution on the plan to make Dr Matiang’i the party leader as well as its 2027 presidential candidate.
The Jubilee Party, through Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni and other officials, has publicly fronted Dr Matiang’i as its possible candidate to challenge President William Ruto’s re-election bid.
Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
In the NDC meeting notice dated September 3, Mr Kenyatta said the delegates would “receive a status report from the National Executive Committee”. The NDC would further “review, formulate and approve” the party’s constitution, organs, policies and programmes.
The Nation has also established that the party may also consider exiting the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, which fronted veteran politician Raila Odinga in the 2022 presidential contest.
Ms Martha Karua’s Narc-Kenya, which has since rebranded to People’s Liberation Party, and the Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) are some of the Azimio affiliate parties that have formally initiated their exit from the coalition.
Narc-Kenya through its National Delegates Convention in November 2024 resolved to exit the opposition coalition. Ms Karua was Mr Odinga’s running mate in the Azimio coalition in the 2022 election.
Jubilee is said to be considering forming a new alliance with other like-minded opposition parties among them the DAP-K, United Progressive Alliance (UPA), Chama Cha Kazi of former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, Kanu of former Senator Gideon Moi and former Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya’s Party of National Unity.
UPA was formed by Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo, with most of its elected members, majority being MCAs, drawn from the county. It has also been claiming Dr Matiang’i as its candidate.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, a close ally of Dr Matiang’i, revealed that there have been discussions on the proposal to make Dr Matiang’i the Jubilee Party leader and 2027 presidential candidate.
“It is a matter on the table. But we have agreed to do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis so that we weigh all the available options,” said Mr Onyonka.
He admitted that there are those who want Dr Matiang’i to run on a home-grown party (UPA) while others are suggesting that he runs on Jubilee, which already has name recognition across the country.
“We will look at all the options, if we can have a marriage between Jubilee and UPA and work together, so be it. Some of the options on the table include forming a coalition. But if the Jubilee NDC decides to make Fred (Dr Matiang’i) the party leader, we will be okay with it so long as the candidate himself is in agreement,” explained Mr Onyonka.
Mr Kioni did not respond to our queries yesterday about the party’s plan to name Dr Matiang’i as its leader. He has, however, been leading the lobby to have the former CS fly the Jubilee flag in the 2022 presidential election.
In a previous interview with the Nation, Mr Kioni said that Dr Matiang’i was already enjoying national backing, noting that it would be a political gamble for him to run on a regional political party with no national outlook.
“We are not in the business of looking for a candidate picked by a few leaders, but one who has been embraced by the people. In fact, we are saying that a scientific survey be used on settling on a candidate so that we avoid picking someone on the basis of voting strength of his or her community,” he said. “We want him (Dr Matiang’i) to belong to the country, and that is why we want him to run on Jubilee which has a national outlook.”
In a July interview with Citizen TV, Dr Matiang’i said he was yet to decide which party to run on, while disclosing that a number of parties, including Jubilee, had sought him to run on their ticket.
“I am in consultations with a number of political parties and a number of political leaders across the board. I honestly think that if I made a choice now and stuck to one political party, I would disadvantage the others with whom we are having a discussion,” he said.
The decision by the Jubilee NDC on whether to back Dr Matiang’i or not is expected to have major political bearing, especially in the united opposition.
In May, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua stirred controversy in the nascent opposition outfit by asking Dr Matiang’i to reject Jubilee as his election vehicle in 2027.
People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua (centre) addresses journalists flanked by (from left) Dr Fred Matiangi, former Attorney-General Justin Muturi, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and other opposition leaders at SKM Command Center in Nairobi on July 8, 2025.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“I am happy with Dr Fred Matiang’i. You, the Gusii people have told him to go out and court other communities. He is indeed up to the task. I saw how he used to work when he served in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government. However, for him and the Gusii community to be respected, you need your own political vehicle. A political party which has to be deeply rooted in Gusii,” Mr Gachagua said during an interview on Egesa FM.
He went on: “If Dr Matiang’i is your leader, governor, senator, MPs, women representative and MCAs have to be his people. That is where the President caught me off guard. I was only the Deputy President, while the Head of State had everyone else on his side. He made me suffer. You have to align yourself strategically.”
Political analysts perceived the suggestion by Mr Gachagua as part of his strategy to ring fence the populous Mt Kenya for his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP). Having a presidential candidate on the Jubilee ticket is likely to rejuvenate the former ruling party in Mt Kenya and could present stiff competition for DCP.
Also, having Dr Matiang’i in Jubilee would mean more allegiance to Mr Kenyatta, a scenario that could overshadow Mr Gachagua’s influence in the opposition coalition. These dynamics present a risk of denying Mr Gachagua a clean sweep in the region to stamp his authority.
Other analysts, however, see the suggestion as a strategy by the opposition leaders to solidify their respective bases, with a Gusii party being part of a scheme to weaken the ODM party of Mr Raila Odinga in the region.
Prof David Monda, a US-based university lecturer and political analyst, observed that a homegrown party would reinforce Dr Matiang’i’s base in Gusii.
“I think Jubilee is still seen by and large as an Uhuru Kenyatta party. Matiang’i doesn't want to be seen as an Uhuru project. He has to establish himself as his own man. Running on his own party gives him a stronger base to own a party structure from which to launch a national campaign. It will also be easier for Matiang’i to raise funds from outside Jubilee if he is seen as being outside of the control of Uhuru, thus reinforcing his public perception as being his own man,” explained Prof Monda.
