A surprise Tuesday morning meeting by key opposition figures has lifted the lid on the behind-the-scenes political manoeuvres in crafting a united front against President William Ruto’s 2027 re-election.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi, Martha Karua of People’s Liberation Party (PLP) and DAP-K boss Eugene Wamalwa held a crucial strategy meeting as they begin to prepare to face President Ruto in the next race.
Also in the meeting were former Cabinet Secretaries Justin Muturi and Mithika Lintiru as well as Mukhisa Kituyi. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party which has since declared support for Dr Matiangi’s presidential bid was represented in the meeting by its Chairman Saitoti Torome.
Sources in the meeting told the Nation that the formation of a new political coalition dominated the closed-door talks that happened when Mr Gachagua was also expected to launch his new party in May.
The opposition leaders also discussed the need to continue mobilizing their regions against President Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration.
The politicians in the new camp will, however, have to sacrifice their competing individual ambitions of running for the top seat for the sake of presenting a united front.
Jubilee Party, for instance, has through its Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, insisted on fronting Dr Matiangi. Mr Kioni was conspicuously absent from the meeting.
“Giving up my presidential ambition would actually mean I go home. It is as simple as that. What it means is that giving up my presidential ambition is not an option. That is basically what I am telling you,” said Mr Musyoka in a past interview with the Nation .
Mr Musyoka has in the past sacrificed his ambitions in support of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga in 2013, 2017 and 2022.
Mr Gachagua, who was removed from office through impeachment, is however likely to be barred from running for public office.
Article 75(3) of the constitution - provides that a state officer (including the Deputy President) removed from office for violating the Constitution is disqualified from holding any other public office.
This means that once impeached, the individual is barred from running for any elective or appointive position in Kenya unless cleared by the courts.
Mr Gachagua has, however, insisted that he can still run since he has not exhausted his appeals even as he reiterated that he is putting together an elaborate team that even with ODM leader Raila Odinga’s backing, Dr Ruto will not be able to defeat.
“At the moment, we are not interested in identifying the flag bearer who will face Ruto in 2027. Our priority is to unite the people and ensure more Kenyans register as voters. The only way to liberate the country is getting as many people as possible to vote,” Mr Gachagua said during a recent radio interview.
Political analyst Martin Oloo argues that Kenya’s politics has taken on a new twist following the political rapprochement between Dr Ruto’s UDA and Mr Odinga’s ODM.
“For Ruto and Raila to lose in 2027, there needs to be one big coalition of an alternative political juggernaut such as Narc against Kanu in 2002.”
“If the opposition do not come together and front one candidate, Ruto and Raila will sponsor some minority Presidential candidates who will, in turn, chip away some of the votes giving them a clear win,” added Mr Oloo.
“Each one of us must subordinate our interests to the interest of the nation. Whoever gets elected as the candidate through a transparent method that we shall devise, we shall all rally behind that person,” Ms Karua said.
Mr Musyoka also recently maintained that Kenyans were united against President Ruto and that as opposition, they are ready to offer a better alternative leadership the public was yearning for.
“The country is united against one person who pretends that he is busy uniting all Kenyans. We are going to do the necessary…and it is going to be bigger than 2002,” Mr Musyoka said, referring to the Narc movement that swept Kanu out of power under Mwai Kibaki.
