Africa-Press – Kenya. The emerging political alliance between Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka and DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua is increasingly fuelling tensions in the United Opposition,
While Gachagua has sent all signals that he will be backing Kalonzo for the presidency, Jubilee deputy party leader and presidential aspirant Fred Matiang’i is pushing back against how the outfit plans to pick a single candidate for the 2027 General Election.
At the centre of the latest disagreement is a proposal by Matiang’i for a “scientific” process to determine the opposition flagbearer, a suggestion that has drawn sharp criticism from leaders aligned to Kalonzo, whom Gachagua is backing.
They prefer consultations among coalition principals, an approach Matiang’I has said will be a “boardroom decision”. “From where I sit, it [the process] ought to be inclusive because in alliance building, the process is as important as the outcome itself,” Matiangi said on Wednesday when he was endorsed by PNU leader Peter Munya.
“If our interest is unity and we want to bring everybody together, then there is no substitute for inclusion.” Matiang’i maintained that the process must be open to the public to ensure openness and transparency.
“What are we hiding? We are not looking for family leadership. We are looking for public leadership. Kenyans should, therefore, be involved in the process,” he said.
Matiang’i was speaking after an earlier harsh rebuke from Kalonzo ally and Kitui Senator Enock Wambua. Wambua on Sunday said he would not allow Kalonzo to be micromanaged in the opposition.
He argued that Kalonzo’s candidature has been accepted across board based on his popularity, and dismissed the scientific approach to determine the flagbearer.
The Kitui senator urged Matiang’i to leave the opposition if dissatisfied with the ongoing consultations among the principals over the opposition candidate.
On the other hand, Matiang’i is convinced that opinion polls place him as the favourite candidate, and thus the best suited to fly the flag of the opposition candidate.
His camp insists that the selection process must be transparent and inclusive, warning that any boardroom decision would undermine their unity and risk fracturing the alliance.
He has, however, often been accused by the Gachagua camp of being a government mole in the opposition, a stance that was recently echoed by the Kalonzo camp.
Wambua’s remarks have amplified a growing rivalry between the camps backing Kalonzo and Gachagua on one side and those supporting Matiang’i on the other, exposing the delicate balancing act facing opposition leaders.
The Gachagua-Kalonzo axis fears that a scientific formula could weaken the bargaining power of established coalition principals who have long-standing political bases.
On the other hand, Matiang’i’s supporters argue that relying solely on negotiations could produce outcomes perceived as unfair or predetermined. The Kalonzo-Gachagua partnership has been gaining visibility in recent months, signalling their commitment to building a broad opposition coalition.
Gachagua has also publicly stated that the opposition intends to agree on a single presidential candidate, saying he was ready to mobilise seven million votes for Kalonzo if he is picked as the flagbearer. The involvement of former President Uhuru Kenyatta is also triggering tensions.
Uhuru, who is revamping Jubilee in a move that will see him competing with Gachagua’s DCP in Mt Kenya, is backing Matiang’i for the top job. This puts him in direct confrontation with Gachagua, who has openly criticised Jubilee and advised Matiang’i against using the red party in his presidential bid.
Gatanga MP Edward Muriu warned that trusting Uhuru should be with caution. “I have maintained that Jubilee is a red wheelbarrow. While we still want to remain united, it is only fair we see that in actions and words. Let’s all speak the same language,” he said.
His Embakasi North counterpart James Gakuya has also termed Uhuru’s attempt to revamp Azimio as an attempt to bring confusion to the United Opposition.
The differences also extend to the timeline for naming the candidate. While some leaders want the issue settled earlier to allow the coalition to campaign effectively, others believe the opposition should first focus on strengthening unity and grassroots mobilisation before announcing a flagbearer.
