Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has accepted a High Court ruling upholding a law that bars retired presidents from continuing to hold formal leadership positions in political parties.
Uhuru said he respected the ruling delivered by Justice Lawrence Mugambi in September 2026, describing it as a reaffirmation of Kenya’s democratic maturity rather than a restriction on his political life.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, by his communications secretary Kanze Dena-Mararo, the former president said the decision had provided legal clarity on the long-delayed handover of the Jubilee Party chairmanship.
“The former President affirms his absolute willingness to see the handover completed openly, lawfully, and in strict accordance with the Party’s constitution,” the statement said.
Uhuru explained that the delay in handing over the chairmanship had not been caused by reluctance on his part but by an internal dispute that required judicial intervention.
“With the court’s guidance, that path is now clear,” his office said.
The High Court ruling upheld Section 6 of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act, which regulates the transition of retired presidents from formal political party leadership.
Uhuru welcomed the development as a new chapter for Jubilee, saying the party should now be guided by the rule of law and its constitution as the next generation of leaders takes charge.
He also said the ruling demonstrated that leadership goes beyond occupying a formal position.
“Leadership is not the chair one occupies; it is the trust one cultivates,” Uhuru said.
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The former president served as Kenya’s fourth president from 2013 to 2022 before handing over power to President William Ruto.
His continued role in Jubilee has in recent years been the subject of internal disputes, with questions emerging over the party’s leadership and the legal restrictions governing former presidents.
