Uhuru resigns as Azimio chairperson after relinquishing Jubilee leadership

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 7 — Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has resigned as Chairperson of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, weeks after relinquishing his leadership of the Jubilee Party following a High Court ruling.

Kenyatta announced his resignation in a letter dated October 5, 2026, saying the decision followed the formal handover of Jubilee Party leadership to former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.

He said his departure from the coalition leadership should not be interpreted as an end to his association with Azimio, describing it instead as part of the renewal of democratic institutions.

“Following the official handover of the Jubilee Party Leadership, I am writing to formally resign from my leadership position within the Azimio La Umoja Coalition, effective immediately,” Kenyatta said.

“This decision is not a departure from our shared political journey, but a necessary step in the continuous renewal of our democratic institutions.”

Kenyatta said Azimio was established to bring together Kenya’s diverse political voices around the protection of democracy and national development, while allowing constituent parties to retain their identities.

“A coalition is not merely a temporary alliance of convenience; it is a permanent covenant of conviction,” he said.

The former President said he remained confident in the coalition’s ability to continue under new leadership and expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him during his tenure.

“I step down from this office with a heart full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, and with absolute confidence in the collective strength of this coalition,” he said.

Part of coaltion

Despite relinquishing the chairmanship, Kenyatta said he would remain part of the coalition and continue offering his support and counsel.

“I remain, as always, a committed member of the Azimio family, ready to support the institution from the ranks, and always available to offer counsel when called upon,” he said.

His resignation follows the earlier handover of the Jubilee Party leadership to Matiang’i.

The transition came after a High Court ruling by Justice Lawrence Mugambi upholding Section 6 of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act, which bars retired presidents from holding political party office beyond six months after leaving State House.

The court clarified that the provision does not bar retired presidents from remaining members of political parties or participating in political activities.

Matiang’i, who had served as Jubilee’s deputy party leader, subsequently assumed the party’s leadership after Kenyatta agreed to relinquish the position.

Kalonzo retains coalition leadership

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who is Party Leader of the coalition, has previously maintained that the court ruling dealt with formal party leadership and did not prevent Kenyatta from remaining politically active.

Kalonzo’s position is now reinforced by a statement from the Ukombozi Alliance, the coalition’s new identity, which clarified the distinction between the Party Leader and Chair of Council.

In the statement issued Wednesday, Kalonzo said Uhuru’s resignation did not create a leadership vacuum.

“The Party Leader and the Chair of Council are two distinct offices, and they have never been one and the same,” Kalonzo said.

He explained that the Chair of Council was the coalition’s council-level position while the Party Leader remained the political and executive head.

“The Party Leader is the political and executive head of the party. He speaks for the party, runs its day-to-day affairs, represents it before the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties and other institutions, and answers to its members.”

Kalonzo said he continued to hold that office and that Uhuru’s resignation had not affected the party’s leadership or direction.

“There is no vacuum at the helm of Ukombozi, and no change in the party’s leadership, direction or programme,” he said.

Coalition name change

The coalition subsequently rebranded as The Ukombozi Alliance (TUA) in September, with Kalonzo saying the decision had been unanimously agreed upon by parties within the faction.

In Wednesday’s statement, Kalonzo also confirmed that the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) had reserved the Ukombozi Alliance name for the coalition.

He said the coalition was now completing the remaining compliance requirements.

Kalonzo also thanked Uhuru for his leadership and said the coalition would invite him for an official visit, during which a formal handover ceremony would take place.

“We thank him, and we are grateful to his family for the sacrifices that came with that service,” Kalonzo said.

He said Uhuru remained a committed member of the coalition and was ready to “support from the ranks and to offer counsel when called upon.”

The development leaves Kalonzo as the coalition’s Party Leader as the Ukombozi Alliance prepares for the 2027 General Election.