Kioni questions Jubilee’s role in Ukombozi, calls for new opposition coalition

NAIROBI,Kenya Oct 8 – Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni has questioned the party’s continued involvement in the Azimio-Ukombozi political arrangement, calling for a rethink of opposition politics ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Kioni said Jubilee should move away from what he described as “old formations” and instead push for a fresh political alliance capable of accommodating a wider range of parties and political interests.

“I really don’t understand what we are doing as Jubilee in this whole Azimio/Ukombozi arrangement,” Kioni said.

He argued that the party should be looking beyond the existing coalition structures and negotiating a broader political arrangement in which all participating parties have a meaningful role.

“At this point, I believe we should be thinking beyond the old formations and working towards a new, genuinely inclusive coalition that brings everyone on board and gives every voice a place at the table,” he said.

Kioni’s remarks come at a critical moment for the opposition, following the rebranding of Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Coalition as The Ukombozi Alliance (TUA) and the departure of former President Uhuru Kenyatta from the coalition’s top council position.

Uhuru formally resigned as Azimio Council chairman on October 5, days after handing over leadership of Jubilee to former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i. His resignation has triggered fresh debate over the future structure and leadership of the opposition coalition.

Although Uhuru stepped down from the formal position, Ukombozi leader Kalonzo Musyoka has said the former President remains part of the coalition and could continue offering advice.

Kalonzo has also maintained that Uhuru’s resignation did not create a leadership vacuum, insisting that the positions of Party Leader and Chair of Council are separate.

But Kioni’s intervention suggests that there are questions within Jubilee over whether the party’s interests are adequately served by remaining within the existing Ukombozi structure.

His call for a new coalition comes as opposition parties intensify efforts to assemble a formidable alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential contest. Ukombozi is seeking to broaden its membership, with parties and political figures outside the existing Azimio structure being courted.

Among those whose names have featured in discussions around the coalition’s future leadership are former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Siaya Governor James Orengo.

Kioni’s argument, however, appears to go beyond simply replacing Uhuru in the coalition hierarchy. He is calling for a political reset in which Jubilee and other parties would have a greater say in determining the opposition’s structure, leadership and electoral strategy.

The former Ndaragwa MP has separately expressed disappointment over missing out on the Jubilee leadership, after Matiang’i was handed the party leadership following Uhuru’s decision to step aside. He has said his interest in the position was legitimate but admitted that he was disappointed when the position went to someone else.

Kioni has also questioned Jubilee’s broader political direction, saying the party “lost its way” after joining the United Opposition.

His latest remarks therefore add another layer to the debate over Jubilee’s identity under Matiang’i and its place in the wider opposition ahead of the 2027 polls.