A section of leaders have been firing a string of salvos at the former President Uhuru Kenyatta accusing him of failing to transition from the Jubilee Party and Azimio Coalition leadership four years after leaving office.

President William Ruto is one such leader who has renewed push for Kenyatta to retire maintaining that the former head of State ought to respect court order and keep off politics.

“Keep off politics,” Dr. Ruto,who is on the fourth day of his Kisumu visit, said days after he revealed that the former president is sponsoring his opponents.

“Uhuru Kenyatta did not defeat me when he was President. Now I am the President, and he is retired. How can he defeat me?” Ruto paused.

In law, retired presidents are banned from holding political party office beyond six months after exiting State House.

Kenyatta remained at the helm of Jubilee party four years after leaving office in what people close to him say was due to a prolonged internal leadership dispute, rather than a reluctance to cede power.

However, he is ready to quit politics the High Court rulws that Section 6 of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act is constitutional and validly bars retired presidents from holding official party offices.

Justice Lawrence Mugambi delivered the ruling after a petition was filed arguing that Mr. Kenyatta was violating Section 6 of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act.

“He notes that the court’s ruling is not a restriction on his political life,” Kenyatta said in a statement issued by his Communications Secretary, Kanze Dena-Mararo.

His is an understandable case, with Mr Kenyatta saying the court decision reaffirms Kenya’s democratic maturity,

“The 4th President of the Republic of Kenya acknowledges that leadership is not the chair one occupies; it is the trust one cultivates,” he said.

Kenyatta faced what he describes as “attempted coup” orchestrated by nominated MP Sabina Chege and East African Legislative Assemble (EALA) MP Kanini Kega. He eventually gained control of the former ruling party in March 2025.

“In regard to the long-delayed handover of the party chairmanship, the office clarifies that this process was not stalled by reluctance, but by a contested internal dispute that required clarity. With the court’s guidance, that path is now clear,” Kenyatta explained.

The former President is ready to hand over his role in strict accordance with the party’s constitution

Court decision also comes at the best time, bringing relief to Kenyatta and other former government officials.

“Uhuru Kenyatta’s readiness to comply forthwith with the finding of the court sets a standard we would wish to see observed across our politics,” Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka said.

Justice Lawrence Mugambi said the restriction was a lawful safeguard against former heads of state exercising power indirectly through political proxies. The court said that the law was designed to protect democratic transitions and preserve the special status of retired Presidents.

“A reading of Section 6 (1) is clear, as was strongly submitted by the respondents and the Interested parties, it does not forbid the retired President from being a member of a political party, what it restricts is taking up a leadership role in the political party for more than six months after retiring,” Mugambi said.