Reports that Jubilee Party candidate Fred Matiang’i has resolved to go all the way to the ballot in next year’s presidential election have ignited fresh jitters within the united opposition.
Matiang’i, who served as Interior Cabinet Secretary under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, is said to have told close allies that he is the most suitable candidate to defeat President William Ruto in 2027.
According to sources within the opposition, Matiang’i’s decision has unsettled several united opposition partners with claims that parties such as Eugene Wamalwa’s DAP-Kenya, Peter Munya’s PNU, and Martha Karua’s PLP are reportedly gravitating toward Matiang’i’s candidacy.
Both Peter Munya and Eugene Wamalwa served together with Fred Matiang’i in Uhuru Kenyatta’s cabinet.
This new alignment has caused unease among other coalition members, particularly Wiper, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), and the Democratic Party, who prefer Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka as the opposition flagbearer.
The DCP, led by Rigathi Gachagua, has expressed suspicion that former President Uhuru Kenyatta is quietly backing Matiang’i’s bid to the end.
DCP insiders also feel that Matiang’i’s candidacy would undermine their party’s efforts to establish itself as the dominant political force in Mt. Kenya, where Gachagua wants to consolidate.
Additionally, Rigathi Gachagua’s Mt Kenya ambitions have drawn resistance from PLP leader Martha Karua, another principal in the United Opposition.
Karua has publicly dismissed the notion pushed by Gachagua that DCP is Mt Kenya’s political vehicle, insisting that all parties should compete nationally by fielding candidates.
At the funeral of former Kirinyaga Senator Daniel Karaba on April 1, 2026 Uhuru Kenyatta’s body language, tone, and choice of words during the event left little doubt that he favors Karua as Mt. Kenya’s political torchbearer over Gachagua.
Uhuru’s preference for Karua is attributed to their long-standing political relationship, dating back to the Azimio coalition, where Karua served as Raila’s Odinga’s running mate in the 2022 general election. Karua was picked by Uhuru to deputize Raila. Uhuru is the Azimio Council chairperson.
Those backing Matiang’i’s presidential bid have proposed Karua as his running mate, arguing that the pair’s combined experience and integrity in public service would offer a credible alternative to the current administration.
Apart from balancing the gender, they argue that the Matiang’i–Karua ticket would inspire confidence among reform-minded voters and present a stronger challenge to President Ruto than a Kalonzo Musyoka-led ticket.
The United Opposition has scheduled a retreat in the coming weeks to address the growing divisions and establish a framework for selecting its 2027 presidential flagbearer.
