Embattled Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni lifted the lid on intricate plans for former President Uhuru Kenyatta to select another political outfit amid leadership wrangles in the Jubilee Party.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Kioni stated that Uhuru had multiple options in his arsenal, including using the Party of National Unity (PNU) as an alternative political machine should the pro-government politicians succeed in taking over his party.
He expressed confidence that the former President would retain his following and essentially counter President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) wave in Mt Kenya.
"Uhuru does not need a political party. He needed one when he was running for the presidency, and that was Jubilee. It is only reasonable for him to hand over the party to people with the same vision.
"If the government of the day decides to take over, the alternative for the community is to exit.
"As the SG I can say that the perception that by taking the Jubilee party then they take Mt Kenya is a lie. One of the options open to us is any other party including PNU," Kioni stated.
Following the recent turn of events, analysts opined that the President is bracing himself for any outcome by installing confidants in key leadership positions at PNU.
Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya was announced as the PNU's party leader on Friday, July 28.
In the radical changes, former Education Chief Administrative Secretary Zachariah Kinuthia was appointed the national organising secretary. John Okemwa retained his position as Secretary-General in the party formerly led by Kenya's third president, Mwai Kibaki.
Political analysts saw Uhuru's hand in the move, stating that it may be one of his latest strategies to remain relevant and influential in the political scene.
According to Martin Oloo, a lawyer and governance expert, the former head of state decamping to PNU would be a significant and game-changing move.
"Kenya Kwanza sympathisers have hijacked political issues around Jubilee. For Uhuru, he has to remain politically relevant and to look for a stable party.
"He is confronted with a significant political challenge, and unless he takes steps to organise himself politically, he may face defeat or be sidelined," he reiterated.
Political analyst and strategic communications advisor Barrack Muluka, however, argued that Uhuru's influence in the Mt Kenya region had withered as it was built as a result of concerted efforts from economic barons and past senior leaders of the region.
"Uhuru's influence is a spent force as he was not standing on his own legs, it was on other people's influence. Most of those people are either gone or have gone to the senile age. During his tenure, Uhuru was supposed to be the driving force but unfortunately he didn't build his own capacity," he revealed.
"He lost his influence because of his lifestyle. The other flipside was because Ruto came with massive numbers. He should make conscious efforts to address lifestyle issues and when he appears before the public, he should appear as a persuasive thought leader. He should not appear as an angry person whose lifestyle is dissipated," Muluka, who once served as Amani National Congress (ANC) secretary general, opined.
Uhuru's Way Forward
Muluka argued that Uhuru should step away from the competitive political scene and instead position himself as a political 'godfather,' to counsel and offer guidance to prodigies.
On the other hand, he advised Kioni and Munya to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to win Mt Kenya from the grasp of Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua.
"During the 2022 elections, they were whitewashed, so their efforts will go nowhere even when they come together. They need to change the social dynamics on the ground by appealing to the grassroots so that the people can migrate from UDA and follow them," he noted.
