As Jubilee Party prepares for the 2027 General Election, one of the most important tasks facing its new leadership is getting the appointment of the Secretary-General right.
The position may appear to be just another office within the party, but it carries significant responsibilities. The Secretary-General is part of the machinery through which a political party communicates with its members, coordinates its structures and undertakes important electoral processes. That makes the legality of the office more than an internal administrative matter.
Recent dispute surrounding the appointment of Moitalel Ole Kenta has already demonstrated the risks involved. The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal nullified his appointment, citing issues surrounding his eligibility and the procedure through which he was appointed.
Whatever position one takes on the dispute, the lesson for Jubilee is party appointments must follow the party constitution and the law to the letter. This is particularly important because Jubilee is heading into an election year.
The party will eventually nominate candidates, submit names to the relevant authorities, issue nomination certificates and undertake numerous official transactions.
If the authority of the officials responsible for some of these processes is later questioned, Jubilee could find itself fighting battles that have nothing to do with its candidates’ popularity or electoral strength.
Jubilee’s opponents have every reason to scrutinise the party’s internal processes. They do not need to create a problem if Jubilee creates one for itself. A procedural mistake made today could provide ammunition for a legal challenge tomorrow.
Imagine a Jubilee candidate winning an election only for an opponent to challenge the nomination process on the basis that the party official who authorised or submitted crucial documents was not properly appointed.
Even if the candidate legitimately enjoys strong support among voters, such a dispute could create unnecessary uncertainty and expensive legal battles. The Jubilee party should treat the Secretary-General appointment as a matter of institutional protection, not political convenience.
The safest approach is to ensure that the process is transparent, compliant with the Jubilee constitution, consistent with the Political Parties Act and defensible under the Constitution of Kenya. The party should leave no procedural loophole that can later be exploited.
For Fred Matiang’i, who has now been handed the responsibility of steering Jubilee into its next phase, this presents an early opportunity to demonstrate that the party is serious about rebuilding its structures.
Opposition parties will be salivating at every mistake Jubilee makes. They will study its decisions, documents and procedures looking for weaknesses.
Jubilee should therefore give them as little as possible to work with.
In politics, you prepare for your opponents before they attack. For Jubilee, getting the Secretary-General appointment right could prevent a legal headache when the stakes are much higher.
