Former President Uhuru Kenyatta Set to Resign as Azimio Chairman

Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta is set to resign from his position as the Chairperson of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition party council.

Jubilee Vice-Chairman David Murathe said the Azimio council will convene a meeting soon to approve Kenyatta’s resignation.

In an interview with Nation, Murathe said the former president hand over the mantle to Raila Odinga and Azimio systems to concentrate on the East African peace project that he is leading.

“We will be having a meeting very soon where he will formally resign as the chairman of the Azimio council. Obviously, you cannot have two drivers steering a bus. This vehicle called Azimio now has one driver and that driver is Jakom (Raila Odinga),” Murathe said.

“He is now above local politics. Going forward, everything is Jakom and the Azimio system. The council will sit and make a decision about who takes up the position but the overall leader of Azimio is now Jakom and there is no ambiguity about it,” he added.

Legally, Kenyatta is required to quit active politics and resign as the head of the Azimio council to enjoy all benefits that come with being a former president. The law states that a retired president cannot hold office in any political party for more than six months after ceasing to hold office.

The Presidential Retirement Benefits Act of 2013 states that a president is entitled to a once-off payment on retirement equal to one year’s salary for every term they served. This means Kenyatta will pocket a Sh39.6 million send-off package after serving the country for two five-year terms.

As a retired president, Kenyatta is also entitled to a monthly pension of Sh1.32 million for the rest of his life. 

Further to these, he will enjoy a fuel allowance of Sh216,563, Sh332,063 as his monthly house allowance, a monthly entertainment allowance of Sh200,000, and Sh379,500 in monthly electricity, telephone and water bills.

Other benefits include a fully-furnished office with the necessary personnel that he may require, six security officers, and four vehicles replaceable every three years.