NAIROBI – Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has officially returned to the helm of the Jubilee Party after a decisive court ruling ended a long-running leadership feud within the former ruling party.
The High Court on Thursday upheld resolutions made during the party’s Special National Delegates Convention (SNDC) in May 2023, which reinstated Mr Kenyatta as party leader and restructured its top leadership.
It was a moment of political vindication for the former president, whose grip on the party had been openly challenged by a rival faction led by East African Legislative Assembly MP Kanini Kega and nominated MP Sabina Chege.
Reacting to the news, Moses Kuria, a former Cabinet Secretary and now President William Ruto’s economic advisor, offered rare praise for Mr Kenyatta.
“Congratulations, my senior brother, President Uhuru Kenyatta, for winning back control of the Jubilee Party,” Mr Kuria posted on X. “At a time when there is a competition to burn Kenya through escalation, emotions, and divisions, the Jubilee Party under your stewardship has a major role to play in keeping Kenya safe. The future is luminous.”
Mr Kuria’s remarks surprised some observers, given his often combative stance toward Mr Kenyatta in recent years.
The court’s ruling also confirmed Saitoti Torome as Jubilee’s new national chairman and reinstated Jeremiah Kioni as secretary-general. This effectively pushed out the faction aligned with Mr Kega and Ms Chege, who had previously declared herself party leader during the months-long internal wrangles.
Adding weight to the court’s decision was a notable shift by Nelson Dzuya, the party’s outgoing chairman. Once seen as an ally of the Kega-led group, Mr Dzuya formally withdrew his support from the rebels in March 2025. He then filed a consent in court recognising the legitimacy of the May 2023 convention that restored Mr Kenyatta’s leadership.
That move was widely viewed as the final nail in the coffin for the rival camp.
The Jubilee Party, once a dominant force in Kenyan politics, has struggled with internal divisions since President Ruto formerly Mr Kenyatta’s deputy took office in 2022. The split grew deeper as the party fractured along lines of loyalty to the two leaders.
With Thursday’s ruling, Jubilee appears poised for a fresh chapter though whether it can rebuild its influence remains to be seen.
Political analysts say Mr Kenyatta’s return could signal a new round of opposition realignment ahead of the next general election. Others caution that the party still faces an uphill battle to regain trust and relevance after years of infighting.
Still, for now, Mr Kenyatta has the final word. And his allies, once on the defensive, are back in charge.
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