The big question as 2027 General Election beckons is whether former president Uhuru Kenyatta will influence its outcome, with his declared mission being to stop incumbent President William Ruto’s re-election.
As he seeks to insert himself more robustly into the United Opposition’s 2027 agenda in the ambitious project of making President Ruto the first to fail to defend his seat, he faces a reality check that could shape the race and determine whether or not the anti-Ruto forces forge a united front.
Some critics question his motives while some opposition leaders are cautious, pessimists arguing that the former president might after all be doing some deft legwork for President Ruto's re-election.
Mr Kenyatta has blown hot and cold about Dr Ruto, publicly meeting him twice (in December 2024 and in August 2025) with the government side taking advantage of this as a signal that they could work together.
Mr Ahmed is reported to have attempted to mend the relationship between President Ruto and Mr Kenyatta on the sidelines of the 39th African Union Summit on February 15, 2026.
President Ruto loyalists said the reconciliation drive was aimed at resolving their differences both for local and regional politics.
President William Ruto (left) with former President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) and Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed on the sidelines of the 39th AU Summit in Addis Ababa.
Photo credit: Pool
While there's no official statement on the meeting's outcome, sources suggest that Mr Ahmed urged them to aspire displaying unity among themselves for Kenya's stability and regional influence.
Indeed, Murang'a woman representative, Ms Betty Maina, had, before the December meeting between President Ruto and Mr Kenyatta, declared that, in the end, Dr Ruto and Mr Kenyatta will be on one side in the 2027 elections race.
"I, without fear of contradiction, announce to you that the two gentlemen are working together ahead of 2027 and soon you will see some of Mr Kenyatta's supporters being appointed into government," Ms Maina said on Kogis Corner TV.
Soon after, Mr Mutahi Kagwe, Lee Kinyanjui and William Kabogo--all perceived to be Mr Kenyatta's friends--were appointed into the Broad Based Government by President Ruto.
From left: Mutahi Kagwe, William Kabogo and Lee Kinyanjui
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
But that has not hindered Mr Kenyatta from endorsing former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang'i as his preferred presidential candidate to dislodge President Ruto.
In his declared intention to impact a democratic regime change, Mr Kenyatta holds the advantage of considerable influence as a former president from perhaps the country’s most influential families, with the capacity to mobilise a massive campaign war chest.
He is also being cited as the force behind the splinter Orange Democratic Movement wing led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Mr Babu Owino, dubbed Linda Mwananchi.
He has further attempted to revive the defunct Azimio la Umoja that he had used to unsuccessfully sponsor the presidential bid of Raila Odinga by proposing Kalonzo Musyoka and as the outfit's leader.
But as he aggressively returns to the rough and tumble of Kenyan politics, he also becomes fair game in the inevitable counter-attacks that will become more rugged as the elections approach.
Already, there are suspicions that Mr Kenyatta is working hard to entrench himself as Mt Kenya kingpin with the monopoly to offer 2027's direction to area voters--a task that Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Mr Rigathi Gachagua has been fighting tooth and nail to wholly control. "I cannot work this hard to hold this rogue President Ruto regime to account, mobilise residents against liberation passions as well as do all the legwork with allies I have reached out to from other regions, only for me to end up being a worker for someone else...I am also a presidential aspirant," Mr Gachagua recently said on Inooro TV interview.
More complications have arisen after Dr Matiang'i started alliance-building within the united opposition, where on February 18, 2026, he entered into a pact with the Party of National Unity (PNU) that is led by former Meru governor Mr Peter Munya.
Jubilee Party Deputy Secretary General Mr Zack Kinuthia told Nation that all will fall in place soon. "We are a formation under construction, and soon more than 13 political parties will sign a similar pact with Jubilee and endorse Dr Matiang'i as their united opposition presidential candidate. After the efforts that saw Dr Matiang'i installed as Abagusii spokesman, coupled with the Gen Z appeal, we will move to convince the national platform that this country needs Dr Matiang'i as urgently as yesterday," said Mr Kinuthia.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta (centre) with former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i (right) and Jeremiah Kioni during a Jubilee Party meeting in Murang’a County on November 7, 2025.
Photo credit: Martin Mwaura | Nation Media Group
It is in the background of such intrigues that political pundits are shining a spotlight on Mr Kenyatta seeking to dissect his unfolding political character and aspiring to make apt deductions as to whether he is a committed United opposition wired to the raging change demand or whether he is a double agent making calculations as to where his interests are safest.
According to Political scientist John Okumu, Mr Kenyatta must “first cater for his interests first before he can throw a care about the rest of us.”
“Should Uhuru Kenyatta get convinced that President Ruto is a safer bet than those who raided his farm and stole his goats, you can bet he will tune his controlled formations to have the incumbent back in power," Mr Okumu argues. President Ruto loyalists are not taking anything lightly, already accusing him of refusing to retire from active politics and instead engaging in political machinations aimed at undermining the incumbent, even threatening to withdraw his retirement perks to deny him 'sabotage kitty'.
Some ODM members led by Homa Bay governor Ms Gladys Wanga, Homa Bay Town MP Mr Peter Kaluma and Suna East MP Mr Junet Mohamed have accused the former Head of State of creating confusion in ODM by trying to micromanage it as well as hijacking the 2027 political discourse in pursuit of self-aggrandisement pursuits.
The Azimio revival and the appearance that he has endorsed Mr Musyoka for the presidential battle, and at the same time endorsing Dr Matiang'i is breeding chaos in the political spectrum.
To others, the move is nothing but a lightning rod, considering it a relic from the past that failed in 2022.
"Uhuru is a man who wholeheartedly supported Mr Odinga and ODM in 2022, but now facing mudslinging enterprise by those who don't appreciate the philosophy of when you get a mansion, sponsor never forget those who used to finance your stay in a bedsitter,” said Mr Sifuna in an interview on Citizen TV .
Mr Kenyatta's woes appear far from being over as it is apparent that there will be scrutiny on his 10-year record and legacy as President with questions about management of the economy, including the debt burden, failed promises, unsustainable infrastructure projects, dubious decisions and previous political blunders.
While Mr Kenyatta may have cut ties with Dr Ruto long before the 2022 elections, the man was his deputy for 10 years and a political bosom buddy for years before they fell out in 2018. How he navigates the 2027 political landscape has all the characteristics of a minefield where survival is solely on tactical sharpness.
Political pundits have since identified 10 areas that will define how Mr Kenyatta emerges as either the messiah of the so called liberation, the villain in the United Opposition goals or a man pursuing the political project either on behalf of his own interests or those of a wider group of dynasties.
According to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, "President Ruto is only a victim of tribalism, especially in Mt Kenya region, which suffers from power entitlement hangovers".
Mr Duale said that "it has only become a Wantam crusade the moment a non-Mountaineer ascended to the post new constitution (2010) presidency".
He said: "They never shouted Wantam against President Kenyatta (2013-2022) and Mr Mwai Kibaki (2002-2013). Serving for two terms has only become an issue now because it is not them in power".
Political scientist Mr Gasper Odhiambo criticises Mr Kenyatta, saying "he said Ruto was a bad choice, but there is no evidence that Raila was the right choice".
He says: "Come to think of it...As a country, we are in an economic and political crisis because of acts of commission and omission since our independence. Mr Kenyatta is as good or as bad as President Ruto...in fact, Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga betrayed the cause of Gen Z when they protested and made demands in June 2024...the two gentlemen ran to steady President Ruto's boat against capsizing".
He says "even to date, Mr Kenyatta is playing double agent by being in broad based government and at the same time being in the united opposition, even when he never attempted to mobilise Jubilee party elected leaders to save Mr Gachagua from the October 2024 impeachment as Deputy President".
Mr Kenyatta is also facing a big query about how he can twice meet President Ruto who he says is bad, but at the same time finding it difficult to meet with Mr Gachagua and iron out their differences.
Political scientist Festus Wangwe says, "as time moves on towards 2027, it will become clearer whether Kenyans have abandoned their abhorrence for presidential projects where Mr Kenyatta himself fell in 2002 for being godfathered by President Daniel Moi and Mr Odinga failing in his Kenyatta-sponsored candidature in 2022".
He added that "the same time will give us a clearer picture of what exactly is motivating Mr Kenyatta in his political discourse--whether it is common good or ulterior motives".
