National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has called on retired President Uhuru Kenyatta to step back from active political engagement and fully embrace his role as a unifying statesman.
Addressing residents at Lunyofu Primary School in Budalang’i on Saturday, 2 May 2026, Wetang’ula said the country is steadily approaching the 2027 General Election and needs unity, cohesion and stability.
While acknowledging Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy of service to the nation, the Speaker expressed concern that the former President’s recent public statements risk deepening divisions at a time when Kenya urgently needs calm.
“I acknowledged his enduring legacy of service to the Republic. However, I expressed concern that his recent public statements, though significant, risk deepening divisions at a moment when our country stands in urgent need of cohesion, stability, and national unity,” he said.
Wetangula referenced the examples of the late Presidents Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki, who both retired from active politics and embraced dignified statesmanship.
“I further observed that former Heads of State, notably the late Daniel arap Moi and the late Mwai Kibaki, exemplified the dignified tradition of statesmanship upon retirement. I therefore urged him to follow in their distinguished footsteps and uphold this noble precedent,” the speaker stated.
Wetangula’s remarks come just a day after Uhuru Kenyatta rubbished calls of him staying out of politics saying he is only defending his party Jubilee as any democracy would do.
“Mimi kwa kweli siko kwa ‘active politics’, lakini nina haki ya kutetea na kusimama na chama changu. Mimi hakuna kiti yeyote natafuta, lakini mimi ni mwanachama wa Jubilee, kwa hali, kwa mali, na kwa damu,” Uhuru said on a phone call with his brother Muhoho Kenyatta during a Jubilee delegates meeting held in Narok.
Since leaving office, former President Uhuru Kenyatta has remained vocal on national issues, occasionally raising concerns with the Kenya Kwanza administration led by his former deputy, President William Ruto.
Uhuru, who supported Raila Odinga in the 2022 presidential election, has endorsed Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as the Jubilee Party’s presidential flag bearer for the 2027 General Election.