Narok, Kenya– Former Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i has kicked off what looks increasingly like a full-throttle run for the presidency and he’s starting where it matters: the Rift Valley.
Over the weekend, Matiang’i slipped into Narok County for private talks with local powerbrokers, most notably former Narok North MP and ex-gubernatorial candidate Moitalel Ole Kenta. The meeting took place at Kenta’s Ilariak resort, drawing elders and political allies from across the county.
What followed has stirred a storm.
“The talks were fruitful and forward-looking,” Matiang’i told reporters after the closed-door gathering. He described the visit as part of a broader effort to build a coalition based on “integrity, inclusivity and service.”
But it was more than polite diplomacy. The symbolism was unmistakable.
A Challenge to Ruto in His Backyard
Matiang’i’s visit came just days after President William Ruto himself toured Narok, launching infrastructure projects and reaffirming government pledges from the 2022 campaign.
“The Maa community remains a key partner in our journey,” Ruto said at a rally in Narok South. He cited investments in roads, schools, and water services in traditionally pastoralist areas.
But many see the timing of both visits as a sign of the growing political contest over the Rift Valley a region long seen as Ruto’s stronghold.
With internal cracks beginning to show in Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Matiang’i’s presence is raising eyebrows.
“It’s not just about development,” said a political observer in Narok. “This is about who controls the narrative and the numbers ahead of 2027.”
Signs of Shifting Tides
Among those present at the Matiang’i-Kenta meeting was Mzee Kali Ole Sayialel, a senior elder of the Ilmakesen clan — one of the region’s most influential. His attendance signalled deeper conversations than those being shared publicly.
More telling still is the apparent positioning of Gabriel Tongoyo, Narok West MP and chair of the National Assembly’s Security Committee. Sources close to him suggest he is weighing a break with UDA and exploring a possible alliance with Matiang’i’s emerging camp.
If Tongoyo moves, he won’t be the last.
“The presence of both Kenta and Tongoyo in the same orbit as Matiang’i is no accident,” said one local analyst. “It looks like early power-sharing talks maybe even an opposition blueprint for Narok in 2027.”
Kenta is widely expected to make another run for governor, challenging incumbent Patrick Ole Ntutu. Tongoyo’s name has also surfaced as a potential contender either alone or as part of a joint opposition ticket.
Neither man has confirmed any plans. But the realignment is already rippling through the county.
A Broader Push for 2027
Narok is just one stop in Matiang’i’s expanding tour of key swing regions. His campaign officially launched at Gusii Stadium on 2 May, and he’s already held talks with several opposition heavyweights including Kalonzo Musyoka, Eugene Wamalwa, and Martha Karua.
Matiang’i’s strategy appears to hinge on stitching together a national coalition that cuts across traditional ethnic and party lines a feat no opposition leader has pulled off successfully in years.
So far, he’s avoided the firebrand rhetoric of past campaigns, opting instead for measured messaging around accountability, public service, and economic fairness.
Whether that tone will be enough in a country where political loyalty often hinges on tribe, personality, and patronage remains to be seen.
Still, in Narok where allegiances are shifting and the ruling party’s grip appears to be loosening the former minister’s quiet maneuvering may already be changing the game.
With two years to go before Kenyans head to the polls, the battle lines are beginning to take shape. And in the dusty valleys of Narok, Fred Matiang’i has made clear he intends to be at the centre of it.
