Matiang’i backs opposition unity as Gachagua predicts coalition split

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 28 – Jubilee Party leader Fred Matiang’i has pledged to remain in the opposition fold even if he does not secure the presidential ticket, as rival leaders intensify efforts to build a united political front ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Matiang’i said opposition leaders must be prepared to put aside individual ambitions and support whoever emerges as the coalition’s presidential candidate, arguing that disagreements over the top seat should not derail attempts to forge a common front.

Speaking during a church service at Dominion Chapel Ministries International in Olerai, Narok County, on Sunday, the former Interior Cabinet Secretary said the opposition’s success would depend on its ability to remain together throughout the process of choosing a flagbearer.

He said political leaders should be ready to make concessions and work with one another even when the outcome of negotiations does not favour their individual presidential ambitions.

“As Kenyan citizens and leaders, especially those of us in the Opposition, our duty is to stand together, come what may. Even if we do not get that position, what matters is that we stand together,” Matiang’i said.

He challenged opposition leaders to consider the consequences of another five-year term for the current administration as they weigh their political options.

“When you wake up in the morning, what will this country be if these people are given another five years?” he asked, urging leaders to focus on the broader political objective rather than personal ambitions.

Matiang’i said he had taken an active role in bringing opposition leaders together because of the need to create a broad political movement ahead of the elections.

“That is why I am at the forefront of joining hands with others,” he said, adding that the opposition needed to agree on how to move forward.

His remarks came as he appeared alongside a number of opposition leaders during a political tour of Narok, in what has been part of growing joint engagements among parties seeking to build a common platform ahead of the 2027 polls.

Gachagua predicts fallout

Matiang’i’s call for unity came a day after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua warned that the process of selecting a joint opposition presidential candidate could eventually result in one of the principals leaving the coalition.

Speaking to Kenyans in Dallas, United States, the Democracy for Citizens Party leader drew parallels with the events preceding the 2002 General Election.

Gachagua recalled how opposition leaders rallied behind Mwai Kibaki under the “Kibaki Tosha” slogan, while presidential contender Simeon Nyachae declined to join the arrangement.

“At Uhuru Park, there was a meeting and it was declared ‘Kibaki Tosha’. There was one opposition presidential candidate and Simeon Nyachae walked away. Nyachae went alone,” Gachagua said.

He said he expected a similar development as opposition leaders negotiate over a single candidate for the 2027 presidential contest.

“I want to prophesy today, not because I am a prophet but based on experience, foresight and understanding Kenyan politics, history will repeat itself,” he said.

“One presidential candidate will be announced, one person will go away. That one person will go away on his own.”

Gachagua did not identify the leader he expects to leave the opposition arrangement. He has, however, said he would remain within the coalition even if another politician secures the presidential ticket.

Tough negotiations ahead

The competing remarks highlight one of the central challenges facing the opposition as its principals seek to agree on a formula for working together before the 2027 election.

Matiang’i has acknowledged that settling on a single presidential candidate will not be straightforward, saying the process will require patience, sacrifice and negotiations among the various political formations.

Gachagua has similarly called on opposition leaders seeking the presidential nomination to publicly commit to supporting whoever is eventually selected.

The question of who will carry the coalition’s presidential ticket remains one of the key issues in the opposition’s ongoing realignment, with several political leaders positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 contest.