Matiang'i faces Mt Kenya test as Jubilee leaders question his leadership

Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang’i is facing growing doubts about his ability to win support in the Mt Kenya region after a section of party leaders accused him of allowing Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua to dominate opposition political activities.

The leaders claim Matiang’i has failed to take charge of the Jubilee Party in terms of mobilisation, branding and securing airtime for Jubilee candidates during opposition rallies, alleging that he has effectively surrendered that role to Gachagua.

Led by Jeremiah Kioni, one of Jubilee’s four deputy party leaders, the leaders said only DCP candidates are given the microphone during opposition rallies, while Jubilee candidates are denied the opportunity to present their agenda to voters.

Kioni said he personally experienced the alleged sidelining during a rally in Ndaragwa, despite having represented the area for more than a decade.

“I was denied a chance to address the people of Ndaragwa, the people I have led for over ten years. The person with the mic has always been Gachagua who ends up inviting DCP candidates rather than other parties. We understand that he wants to turn Mt Kenya green but we too want to turn Mt Kenya red. If we are not careful, we shall not get the opportunity to popularize ourselves,” he said.

Despite the concerns, Kioni said Jubilee remained committed to the broader opposition coalition.

“We are happy with how Gachagua is 'dealing' with Ruto, but being in a coalition does not mean we should not promote our candidates to the people. Mt Kenya is our stronghold, and we will do everything possible to ensure it supports Jubilee,” Kioni added.

Separately, former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu accused Matiang’i of abandoning the Jubilee Party by failing to raise concerns over what he described as Gachagua’s attempts to weaken the party.

“Has Matiang’i has given up on Jubilee, this would explain why he has no problem hanging out with Gachagua, even as he (Gachagua) receives ‘defectors’ from Jubilee to his party, he has no problem we may wake up one day to find that he has defected DCP,” he said.

Wambugu was reacting after Gachagua hosted a group of former Jubilee MPs who announced they had joined the DCP.

Among the former MPs who defected were Kabinga Wathayu (Mwea), Munene Wambugu (Kirinyaga Central), Gichuki Mugambi (Othaya), Gichuhi Mwangi (Tetu), Anthony Kiai (Mukurweini), Peter Mwathi (Limuru) and Wainaina Jungle (Thika Town).

Wambugu accused Gachagua of deliberately weakening the Jubilee Party by recruiting its aspirants in the Mt Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.

“He intends to cannibalize Jubilee to build his Party. Which is why I have a problem with my Matiang’i. As he continues to hang around happily with Gachagua and show him goodwill, Gachagua is using that opportunity to identify our Jubilee aspirants in Mt Kenya and then go back to them behind Matiangi’s back and ‘invite’ them to his Party,” the former MP said.

Last week, a section of Jubilee aspirants under the Jubilee Aspirants Forum wrote to former President Uhuru Kenyatta, demanding clarification on how Matiang’i was selected as the party’s presidential candidate.

The aspirants questioned whether the decision had been reached through proper party processes and whether other members would be allowed to challenge him for the ticket.

“If so, the basis upon which that decision was reached; Whether there exists room within the Party constitution and democratic framework for other qualified members to challenge for the presidential ticket; Whether members who may have reservations about Dr. Matiang’i’s leadership style and capacity are permitted, within Party rules, to propose and support an alternative candidate,” the letter signed by Wambugu reads in part.

The aspirants argued that Matiang’i should not automatically become the party’s presidential candidate and that other leaders with presidential ambitions should be allowed to compete for the ticket.

“This means that no individual should be perceived as being beyond challenge – and no decision should be deemed to be unquestionable, if we are to uphold our national and party democratic principles,” Wambugu said.

Jubilee Secretary-General Moitalel Ole Kenta later criticised Wambugu for bypassing party procedures by writing directly to Uhuru Kenyatta instead of addressing the matter through the party secretariat.

“I have seen some people writing to our party leader asking some questions. I would like to tell those people, be it Jubilee members or members of other parties or even moles, that I’m the SG of the Jubilee and the procedure is very clear, you address the party through me. I advise the person who wrote the letter to redirect his letter to me, come to my office and I will address the grievances,” he said.

Kenta, however, assured Jubilee aspirants that the party would support them throughout the electoral process.

The party is currently divided into two camps — one that supports Matiang’i’s cooperation with Gachagua, including blogger Pauline Njoroge, and another led by Wambugu that wants Matiang’i to distance himself from the DCP leader.