Fred Matiang’i has pledged to remain with Kenya’s opposition even if he is not selected as its presidential candidate for the 2027 General Election.
The Jubilee Party leader said opposition politicians should be prepared to put their individual ambitions aside and support whoever emerges as the coalition’s joint candidate.
Matiang’i made the remarks on Sunday at Dominion Chapel Ministries International in Olerai, Narok County, where he appeared alongside other opposition figures during a political outreach.
“Those of us in the Opposition must stand together come what may,” he said.
His comments come as opposition parties and their leaders continue discussions on how to form a united political front ahead of the 2027 election. The group has yet to publicly settle on a single presidential candidate.
Matiang’i puts unity ahead of individual ambitions
Matiang’i said the opposition’s priority should be maintaining unity, even when one leader is ultimately chosen over others.
“Even if we do not get the presidential candidate role, we must remain united to send this administration home,” he said.
He also questioned what another five-year term for the current administration would mean for the country.
“When you wake up in the morning, you should ask yourself; what will this country be if these people get another five years?” Matiang’i said.
The former Interior Cabinet secretary said he had taken part in discussions with other opposition leaders because of the need to build a broader political alliance.
“And because of that, I am at the forefront to unite with other Opposition leaders,” he said.
“We must agree; our country cannot continue to be run like this.”
Matiang’i has recently stepped up political engagements with leaders from different opposition formations. On Sunday, he was in Narok with figures including People’s Party of Kenya leader Ndindi Nyoro as the opposition increased its grassroots activities ahead of the election.
Gachagua predicts one leader could leave
Matiang’i’s pledge comes a day after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua offered a different assessment of what could happen once the opposition settles on its presidential candidate.
Speaking to Kenyans in Dallas, Texas, Gachagua said he expected the opposition to eventually agree on one candidate but predicted that one of the principals would leave the arrangement.
“One presidential candidate will be announced, one person will go away. That one person will go away on his own,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua, who leads the Democracy for Citizens Party, compared the situation with the political events before the 2002 General Election.
He referred to the opposition coalition that backed Mwai Kibaki in that election and the decision by Simeon Nyachae to pursue his own presidential bid.
Gachagua said his prediction was based on his reading of Kenya’s political history and the negotiations now taking place among opposition leaders.
He has also said he would support the opposition candidate if he is not selected, making his own position similar to the commitment Matiang’i made in Narok.
Opposition talks remain focused on a joint candidate
The two statements highlight one of the central questions facing the opposition: whether its leading figures will remain together after a single presidential candidate is chosen.
Opposition leaders have been holding consultations and joint political engagements as they seek to build a broader alliance ahead of 2027. Gachagua said last month that discussions would continue before the coalition settles on its presidential candidate.
For now, no single opposition candidate has been formally settled on in the public statements reviewed.
Matiang’i’s latest remarks amount to a commitment to support the eventual choice, while Gachagua has warned that the selection process could still lead one of the principals to leave.
The question of who will receive the joint ticket, and whether all the major opposition figures will accept the outcome, remains part of the negotiations ahead of the 2027 election.
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