Matiang’i responds after endorsement as Jubilee Party 2027 presidential candidate
By Faith Lagat, October 30, 2025Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has officially accepted the Jubilee Party’s nomination as its presidential flagbearer for the 2027 General Election.
The announcement was made on Thursday, October 30, 2025, following a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting chaired virtually by party leader and former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Matiang’i confirmed the endorsement in a post on X, stating, “I am deeply honoured by the Jubilee Party National Executive Committee’s unanimous acceptance of my formal application to be the Party’s presidential nominee. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve as Deputy Party Leader, and I graciously accept the Party’s nomination to serve as its representative within the United Opposition.”
The decision marks a defining moment for Jubilee, which has embarked on a nationwide mass membership mobilization campaign aimed at reviving the party’s grassroots networks.
Jubilee embarks on revival drive
Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni said the NEC had approved a detailed plan to re-energize the party after setbacks following the 2022 General Election.
“The NEC has approved a comprehensive plan to revamp and re-energise the Jubilee Party through a nationwide mass membership registration and mobilisation campaign. This initiative will focus on strengthening the party’s grassroots networks, rebuilding public confidence, and reaffirming Jubilee’s commitment to the values of unity, development, and democracy,” he said.
Speaking at the party headquarters, Kioni confirmed Matiang’i’s dual role within the United Opposition. “We have resolved that Matiang’i represents us at the United Opposition. On top of that, we have formally received his application to be the presidential candidate, and the NEC has approved and resolved that he now carries the flag of the Jubilee Party as the presidential candidate,” he said.
Kioni added, “Even as he goes into the United Opposition, he goes there in that capacity, representing and deputising our party leader, and actually being the face of the party moving forward, given that our party leader is not always available.”
Matiang’i defends consistency and experience
Matiang’i reaffirmed his loyalty to Jubilee and dismissed claims that he was a political project. “There was no reason for me to abandon Jubilee, having worked under it for 10 years as a Cabinet Secretary,” he said. “Those labelling me a project of the former president are, ironically, the same people seeking to engage with me behind closed doors.”
The former CS underscored his readiness for leadership, citing his decade-long service in government. During a homecoming ceremony at Gusii Stadium on May 2, 2025, he said, “For ten years, I worked tirelessly for this country. I am known to be a good worker, and if given the chance, I am ready to work for Kenyans.”