Kitutu Chache South MP Antony Kibagendi has shed light on why former President Uhuru Kenyatta did not endorse former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as the Jubilee Party’s presidential flag bearer during their National Delegates Conference (NDC) in September.

Speaking during an interview on Friday, October 24, 2025, Kibagendi explained that Uhuru’s failure to endorse Matiang’i was not due to a lack of confidence or interest in his leadership but rather a matter of procedure and timing within the party’s internal framework.

According to Kibagendi, the expectations among Matiang’i’s supporters that he would be named the Jubilee Party flag bearer during the last National Delegates Conference (NDC) were unrealistic. He clarified that the party could not introduce such an agenda midstream since it was not part of the official notice circulated before the meeting.

He emphasised that Jubilee operates under a constitution and structured regulations that guide its processes, including how and when candidates are nominated.

Kibagendi stated that the party’s next NDC will be the appropriate platform to formally introduce and endorse any presidential aspirant, including Matiang’i, in line with the set agenda.

He further revealed that had the party leadership attempted to introduce Matiang’i’s endorsement during the previous NDC, it would have sparked a wave of legal challenges, as it would have contravened the party’s procedural rules.

“You cannot call an NDC midstream and introduce an agenda in that NDC. You have to work on the agenda that was sent out way back in the past.”

“So the agenda for the next NDC is on Jubilee nominating a presidential candidate or anybody who wishes to run for president. That is when they will be introduced, and it is at that point that they will be made officials as deputy party leaders or party leader of the Jubilee party,” Kibagendi stated.

Matiangi’s commitment

Kibagendi reaffirmed that Matiang’i remains a loyal member of the Jubilee Party and is fully involved in the United Opposition under its banner. He described the former CS as a key player in the coalition, actively participating in discussions and strategies aimed at uniting the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.

The MP added that while many had anticipated a public endorsement from Uhuru Kenyatta, the party is still following its laid-out schedule and legal framework to ensure an orderly nomination process when the time comes.

“So that time will come. I know the expectation in the past, or when they had the NDC, was so obvious, but that would have led to a lot of lawsuits because that was not part of the agenda.” He added,

Kibagendi concluded by saying that there is always a first time for everything and hinted that Jubilee’s next major convention may finally address the question of its 2027 presidential flag bearer, with Matiang’i expected to be among the top contenders.

Matiangi’s role in United Opposition

He also dismissed claims of Matiangi sidelining himself from the united opposition, saying that the former interior minister is fully committed to the united opposition and he is working behind the scenes to make sure that the coalition succeeds in its endeavours.