Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has officially reclaimed leadership of the Jubilee Party, while the Wiper Democratic Movement, led by Kalonzo Musyoka, has rebranded to the Wiper Patriotic Front in preparation for the 2027 General Election.
A gazette notice issued by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties confirmed Mr. Kenyatta as the Jubilee Party Leader, with his close allies Jeremiah Kioni and David Murathe reinstated as Secretary-General and Deputy National Chairman, respectively.
The notice nullified the claims of nominated MP Sabina Chege and East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Kanini Kega, who had declared themselves as Party Leader and Secretary-General in a failed attempt to take over the party after pledging allegiance to President William Ruto’s administration.
Several other allies of Mr. Kenyatta, who were selected during the party’s National Delegates Convention held on 22 May 2023, have also been recognised as legitimate officials. These include Saitoti Torome as the new National Chairman, replacing Nelson Dzuya; Beatrice Gambo as Deputy Party Leader in charge of strategy, replacing Jimmy Angwenyi; and Yasin Noor as Deputy Secretary-General, replacing Joshua Kutuny.
Mr. Kioni described the gazette notice as a major victory, stating: “Those who plotted the coup have a lot to do to win back the trust of the party members. They have to reconcile with the members.”
He added: “The most important thing for us at this time is that there is now clarity on who the party officials are. This notice settles the confusion that has been there in the party.”
Mr. Kenyatta’s faction has since declared support for former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i’s presidential bid under the Jubilee ticket.
In a separate gazette notice dated 18 June 2025, Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu confirmed the name change of Wiper Democratic Movement to Wiper Patriotic Front, citing it as a strategic move to resonate with Generation Z voters.
“In exercise of the power conferred by Section 20(1)(d) of the Political Parties Act, the Registrar of Political Parties gives notice that Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) intends to change its name to Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF),” read the notice.
Mr. Musyoka, speaking in Ukambani, said the rebranding was aimed at connecting more closely with the youth. Born between the late 1990s and 2010, Generation Z has grown into an influential cultural and political force.
The party’s shift is also seen as an effort to move away from being viewed solely as a regional outfit and broaden its national appeal ahead of the next polls.
Wiper’s origins trace back to the 2007 split from Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which led to the formation of ODM-Kenya. It later rebranded to Wiper Democratic Movement, while Mr. Odinga retained the ODM name.
Although Mr. Musyoka has not pursued the presidency since his 2007 bid, he supported Mr. Odinga in 2013 and 2017 as his running mate, and in 2022 as the designated Prime Cabinet Secretary.
The rebranding comes amid a surge in party registrations, with seven new political parties receiving provisional approval in recent weeks. These include the Party of Action, The Economic Pillars Alliance, Achievement Party of Kenya, Mkenya Daima Party, Economic Patriotic Alliance (EPA), Accountability and Transparency Party (ATP), and Kenya Liberation Movement (KELMO).
Earlier in May, seven other parties were also granted provisional registration, with five more undergoing full registration processes.
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