Acting Secretary General of Kenya’s Jubilee Party, Kanini Kega, has announced the nomination of MP Sabina Chege as the party’s acting leader.

This decision was made by the Jubilee National Executive Council during a meeting held on May 2, 2023.

Kega cited the Presidential Retirement and Benefits Act which bars President Uhuru Kenyatta from holding a leadership position in a party six months after the elections.

The announcement comes just a little over six months after the general elections, and is seen as a move to comply with the law that prohibits President Kenyatta from holding a leadership position in a political party.

The Jubilee NEC has said that it will soon publish a notice for the National Delegates Conference (NDC) where the party members will have an opportunity to make a decision about the future of the party.

Last week, President Kenyatta had reportedly stormed the Jubilee Party headquarters in a bid to assert his authority and dismiss Kega’s faction.

However, it appears that the decision to nominate Sabina Chege as the acting party leader was made despite his objections.

The move has been met with mixed reactions from various quarters, with some Jubilee members expressing support for the decision, while others have criticized it as being unconstitutional.

Some have even speculated that this could lead to a split within the party, which has already been facing internal divisions and challenges.

It remains to be seen how the party members will respond to the upcoming NDC notice and whether they will choose to support Chege’s leadership or opt for a different candidate.

Nonetheless, this development highlights the challenges and complexities of managing a political party, especially in a highly polarized and competitive environment like Kenya’s.