Jubilee Party deputy leader Jeremiah Kioni has declared that former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i will contest the presidency in 2027, setting up a three-way race with incumbent President William Ruto and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
Speaking during an interview with a local radio station on Monday, July 13, 2026, Kioni said the three politicians are the only ones who have demonstrated genuine commitment to seeking the country’s top office.
“If you look at it now, before we get to next year, it has three names: William Ruto, Fred Matiang’i and Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka. Let’s make up our minds about where we want to be and stop playing games with Kenyans,” Kioni stated.
The Jubilee official claimed that Kenyans are already evaluating the trio as their preferred presidential contenders, with the 2027 race increasingly taking shape around these three figures.
Kioni called on opposition leaders to accelerate negotiations and unite behind a single candidate, either Kalonzo or Matiang’i, if they hope to mount a credible challenge against President Ruto in next year’s General Election.
He criticized what he termed the opposition’s continued delay in naming its presidential flag bearer, warning that the prolonged indecision was creating uncertainty among supporters and weakening their collective bargaining position.
“The opposition should move with speed to agree on a single flag bearer instead of delaying the process,” Kioni insisted, urging political leaders to prioritize strategic unity over individual ambitions.
With less than a year to the 2027 General Election, political alignments and coalitions are expected to crystallize in the coming months as parties position themselves for the crucial contest.
President Ruto will be seeking re-election on his Kenya Kwanza platform, while the opposition remains fragmented, with various leaders jockeying for position as the coalition’s standard bearer.
Matiang’i, a former Uhuru era Interior CS and current Jubilee Party 2027 candidate has been mentioned in political circles as a potential presidential candidate.
Kalonzo Musyoka, a veteran politician and former Vice President, has been a perennial presidential contender and remains a key figure in opposition politics.
