Jubilee Matiang’i’s 2027 endorsement marks a pivotal shift in Kenya’s opposition landscape, as the once-dominant party rallies behind former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as its flagbearer for the upcoming general election.
The move, unveiled during a charged National Executive Committee meeting in Nairobi on Thursday, catapults the technocrat-turned-politico into the spotlight, signalling Jubilee’s intent to reclaim relevance two years out from the polls.
With retired President Uhuru Kenyatta presiding over the session, the endorsement blends legacy loyalty with fresh ambition, positioning Matiang’i as a bridge between the party’s old guard and a restless electorate hungry for change.
The gathering at the Jubilee Party headquarters drew top brass, including Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, who stepped to the podium post-deliberations to confirm the unanimous nod.
“The party has officially received and endorsed Dr Fred Matiang’i’s application to run as our presidential candidate in 2027,” Kioni announced to a throng of reporters, his tone laced with quiet confidence.
In a dual stroke, Matiang’i was also tapped as deputy party leader, a role that fortifies his grip on operations while honouring the party’s hierarchical traditions.
Kenyatta, absent from political public view since his 2022 handover, made a rare appearance to chair the NEC, his presence interpreted as a tacit blessing for Native’s ascent.
Matiang’i, 56, cuts a figure forged in the fires of high-stakes governance. As Interior CS under Kenyatta from 2017 to 2022, he steered security through turbulent times, from the 2017 election redo to the COVID-19 clampdown.
His no-nonsense style earned him fans among urban professionals and security hawks but also foes in activist circles who decried his crackdowns on protests.
Post-tenure, he’s kept a low profile, dodging the political mudslinging that sank peers, while quietly building a network through philanthropy in education and youth empowerment.
This Jubilee Matiang’i 2027 endorsement feels like vindication, transforming whispers of his ambitions into a full-throated roar.
The timing couldn’t be sharper. Kenya’s political arena simmers with realignments: President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza coalition grapples with approval dips below 45 per cent amid tax woes and graft scandals.
Kioni hinted at outreach to “like-minded” outfits, eyeing a broad tent that could snag Mt Kenya and Rift Valley votes disillusioned with Ruto’s hustler narrative.
For Jubilee, the bet hinges on Matiang’i’s administrative chops translating to voter charisma; his 2022 senatorial flirtation fizzled without a national stage.
Matiang’i himself struck a measured note in a brief statement, vowing to “serve with integrity and vision” if entrusted. He nodded to Kenyatta’s mentorship, crediting it for his “grounded approach to leadership”.
Insiders whisper of a war chest swelling via diaspora fundraisers, with early polls from Infotrak pegging him at 12 per cent nationally, trailing Ruto’s 38 but edging Odinga at 10.
This endorsement ripples beyond party lines. It revives Uhuru’s influence, positioning him as kingmaker in a post-handshake era, and tests Jubilee’s revival blueprint post-2022 merger fiascos.