Former President Uhuru Kenyatta [has accepted a High Court judgment upholding statutory limitations]that prohibit retired heads of state from holding formal executive positions in political parties beyond six months after leaving office.
[In an official statement released on Tuesday, September 15], through the Office of the 4th President, Kenyatta confirmed his full readiness [to facilitate a smooth, lawful transition of the Jubilee Party chairmanship]. The announcement follows [a September 14 High Court ruling by Justice Lawrence Mugambi]dismissing a constitutional petition that sought to invalidate Section 6(1) of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act. The petitioners had argued that the law infringed upon a former president’s constitutional rights to political participation.
“The 4th President of the Republic of Kenya acknowledges that leadership is not the chair one occupies; it is the trust one cultivates,” [said Kanze Dena, Spokesperson for the Office of the 4th President]. “He notes that the court’s ruling is not a restriction on his political life, but a reaffirmation of Kenya’s democratic maturity.”
Clarifying the timeline regarding the party leadership handover, Kenyatta’s office stated [that the delay was not caused by personal reluctance], but rather by multi-factional legal disputes requiring judicial clarification. Justice Mugambi ruled [that the restriction serves a legitimate public interest] by ensuring that retired heads of state, given their unique status and influence, do not inadvertently undermine fair political competition.
“In regard to the long-delayed handover of the Party chairmanship, the Office clarifies that this process was not stalled by reluctance, but by a contested internal dispute that required legal clarity,” [the statement noted]. “With the court’s guidance, that path is now clear.”
The court emphasized [that while former presidents cannot retain formal executive titles within political parties], the law does not restrict them from remaining party members or engaging in broader civic and political advisory roles. Kenyatta is expected [to maintain his national political influence as Chairperson of the Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Council]while Jubilee Party organs initiate internal constitutional mechanics [to elect a new party leader].