This archive report was first published on 18 September 2019.
On September 18, 2019, Deputy President William Ruto publicly acknowledged the dire state of the Jubilee Party, a stark departure from his previous denials.
Speaking in Meru during the burial of Meru Senator Mithika Linturi's father, Ruto attributed the party's woes to the influence of opposition leaders, particularly Raila Odinga's political wing.
According to Ruto, the party's leaders were confused by the proposed referendum and the lack of a common stand on the matter since the 2018 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
“There is a difference between the Jubilee you used to know and the current one. In Jubilee, we were used to the language of development where we talk about roads and other projects. Now, there are perennial agitators on the issues of the Constitution who have been pushing for a referendum. You know the people who are always championing for a referendum. That is why some leaders in Jubilee are confused because we are not used to that language,” he said.
The Tangatanga faction, allied to Ruto, has been critical of the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
