By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, May 01, 2026 - A fresh storm has engulfed the Jubilee Party after the Registrar of Political Parties wrote to party leader and former President Uhuru Kenyatta, flagging a formal objection to proposed changes in the party’s top leadership and exposing deepening internal divisions ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a letter dated April 28, 2026, Registrar of Political Parties John Lorionokou asked Mr Kenyatta to address concerns raised by former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu over the legality of the intended changes to party officials, which were published in a recent Kenya Gazette notice.
The Registrar confirmed receipt of Wambugu’s objection and directed the Jubilee Party to resolve the dispute in line with its constitution before the changes can be effected.
“Kindly apprise this Office on the outcome of the resolution to enable conclusion of the process,” the letter reads in part.
Wambugu, a Jubilee member and aspirant seeking to reclaim the Nyeri Town parliamentary seat in 2027, has mounted a detailed legal and political challenge, questioning the legitimacy of the party’s current leadership structures and decision-making processes.
In his submission to the Registrar dated April 20, he argues that the proposed changes lack constitutional grounding, citing what he describes as “lack of transparency, accountability and clarity” within the party.
At the heart of his objection is a fundamental question: who is currently exercising lawful authority within Jubilee.
“The central unresolved question remains; who is presently exercising decision-making authority in the name of the Jubilee Party and on what lawful constitutional basis?” Wambugu posed.
He contends that there is no evidence to show that the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) was properly constituted, that quorum was achieved, or that any valid resolution was passed to authorize the leadership changes.
Under the Political Parties Act, the Registrar is required to ensure that any changes to party officials are lawfully sanctioned and compliant with party constitutions before registration.
Wambugu has warned that proceeding with the gazettement process without resolving these concerns would be “premature, procedurally improper, and legally unsustainable.”
He has also asked the Registrar to bar individuals listed in the proposed changes from presenting themselves as legitimate officials pending resolution of the dispute.
The latest development piles pressure on the former ruling party, which has in recent months been rocked by internal wrangles, pitting sections of the leadership against a growing bloc of grassroots aspirants.
The dispute has played out publicly, with Wambugu openly defying party directives aimed at curbing what officials describe as “unauthorized” aspirants’ forums.
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In a strongly worded response to a March directive by Secretary General Moitalel Ole Kenta, Wambugu accused party insiders of stifling internal democracy and attempting to control political mobilization.
“Jubilee party cannot be turned into a private political weapon against its own members,” he said.
He dismissed warnings against parallel mobilization structures as an attempt by “self-appointed gatekeepers” to intimidate aspirants and suppress grassroots organizing.
“This is not about order… this is about a few individuals within the party who are terrified of members organizing outside their personal control,” he added.
Kenta, however, has defended the party’s position, insisting that all aspirants must operate within official party structures and warning of disciplinary action against those who defy the directive.
“The Party cautions all members and prospective aspirants against associating with any unauthorized forums,” Kenta said, adding that such activities could attract sanctions under the party constitution.
But Wambugu has remained defiant, maintaining that no party rule prohibits members from organizing themselves.
“A forum for party aspirants by party aspirants cannot be a crime… since when did mobilization become misconduct?” he posed.
In a move that could further escalate tensions, the former MP has announced plans to convene a meeting of Jubilee aspirants across the country to chart a way forward ahead of the 2027 polls.
The unfolding standoff underscores a broader struggle for control within Jubilee, particularly in the vote-rich Mt Kenya region, where competing factions are jostling to shape the party’s future and influence its electoral strategy.
It also raises critical questions about the party’s preparedness for the next General Election, as internal disputes threaten to undermine cohesion and credibility at a time when political realignments are already taking shape across the country.
With the Registrar now formally seized of the matter, attention shifts to how Jubilee’s leadership will navigate the crisis , and whether it can resolve the dispute without further fracturing the party.