Kabuchai Member of Parliament (MP) Majimbo Kalasinga has defended retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, warning against attempts to politicise the constitutional rights accorded to retired heads of state.

Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on the night of Monday, May 4, 2026, amid growing criticism from some government allies who accuse Uhuru of engaging in active politics, Kalasinga dismissed the claims, arguing that offering advice or expressing views on governance does not amount to political participation.

Kalasinga said there is a clear distinction between active politics and civic engagement by a former president.

“According to me, Uhuru Kenyatta is not participating in active politics. Active politics means vying for an election, whether as an MCA, MP of Kabuchai, governor of Bungoma, or president. Advising a government when it is going wrong is not active politics,” Kalasinga said.

Uhuru’s constitutional rights

He maintained that Uhuru, having served as Head of State, retains the right to comment on national issues without being accused of political interference.

The legislator also raised alarm over past incidents targeting Uhuru and his family, terming them unacceptable.

He claimed that members of the former president’s family had previously been subjected to security-related incidents and questioned decisions affecting the security arrangements of Uhuru’s relatives, including his mother.

“Uhuru Kenyatta has been attacked severally. The first one was when his kids were attacked as if they had guns, late in the night. Uhuru had to come out to protect his family. By that time, they also withdrew Mama Ngina’s security. It is not fine,” he said.

Constitutional protections

Kalasinga emphasised that the privileges and protections enjoyed by a former president are anchored in law and cannot be altered arbitrarily.

“The rights Uhuru is enjoying at the moment are not a gift from a political party or a government. They are enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya,” he said.

He added that any attempt to change those rights would require a formal legal process.

“If you want to change the rights of a president as enshrined in the constitution, it means you have to run a referendum,” he stated.

His remarks come amid an ongoing political debate over the role of former leaders in public discourse, particularly as the country edges closer to the 2027 General Election.

Some political figures have accused Uhuru of indirectly influencing opposition politics, claims that his allies and defenders have strongly rejected.

Jubilee Party defends Uhuru

The Jubilee Party on Monday, May 4, 2026, told President William Ruto to face his predecessor as a man and not through his allies.

Jubilee Party Secretary General Montalel Ole Kenta, while addressing a presser on behalf of the party at their headquarters, where all top party officials were present, urged Ruto to speak out if he had any issues with Uhuru’s activities.

“I would like to challenge President William Ruto to come out himself and address this issue himself instead of using sidekicks. If he has any issue with Uhuru’s activities, let him come out as a man and address it himself,” he said.

Ole Kenta continued, telling Ruto that he should not use his sidekicks to fight the retired president, but instead face him directly.

He also noted that Ruto owes the fourth president a duty to protect him in such cases when he is being attacked by politicians close to him, just as he himself would want to be protected when he leaves office in 2032.

The attacks began on Friday, May 1, 2026, after Uhuru spoke to his Jubilee Party members who were in Narok for the homecoming of Ole Kenta, who is also eyeing the Narok gubernatorial seat.

The party has questioned what Uhuru did wrong by speaking to his party, which he used as a vehicle when seeking re-election in 2017.