This archive report was first published on 19 June 2020.
On June 19, 2020, a video surfaced online, sparking rumors of a potential splinter party from the ruling Jubilee Party. The video, shared by popular blogger Dennis Itumbi, unveiled a Jubilee Asili banner on his social media pages.
Itumbi's recent sacking as a digital director at State House has led many to speculate that he has decamped to Deputy President William Ruto's wing of the ruling party.
The Jubilee Asili banner displayed by Itumbi features the party's colors as green, as opposed to the traditional red associated with the Jubilee Party. The trademark handshake visible on the original Jubilee Party logo remains intact on the purported Jubilee Asili logo.
Notably, the Jubilee Asili banner shared by Itumbi has no slogan, unlike the Jubilee Party's Tuko Pamoja.
The development comes amid a rift in the ruling party, occasioned by a political fallout between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, Ruto.
Earlier this year, the original Jubilee Party signed coalition deals with other parties, including Kanu, Wiper, and Chama Cha Mashinani, in a move that has reportedly dimmed DP Ruto's chances of succeeding President Kenyatta from within the party.