NAIROBI, Kenya — Jubilee Party presidential candidate Fred Matiang’i has warned that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s political approach could deepen divisions within the opposition and undermine efforts to build a united front against President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during an interview with NTV on Sunday, November 1, the former Interior Cabinet Secretary criticised what he described as arrogance, pride and ethnic calculations among opposition leaders, arguing that the coalition risked being derailed by individual ambitions instead of focusing on the issues affecting Kenyans.
Matiang’i’s remarks came amid growing debate over how opposition parties should negotiate a possible joint presidential candidature, following Gachagua’s comments on the political support bases of several opposition figures.
He cautioned against an arrangement in which a small group of politicians determined the coalition’s direction or treated particular communities as the foundation of its electoral strategy.
“That majoritarian arrogance and that particular pride is precisely what is going to split the opposition and make it very difficult for the opposition to come together. The leadership and future of our country is not to be decided on ethnic balkanisation. I thought that this was a competition of ideas, platforms, track records, competence and qualifications,” Matiang’i said.
He maintained that Kenya’s leadership should be determined through competition based on policy proposals, development agendas, qualifications and demonstrated performance rather than ethnic mobilisation.
The Jubilee leader also challenged the argument that the opposition’s primary objective should simply be to remove Ruto from office, saying the coalition needed to demonstrate how it would govern differently.
“When you wake up and tell me anybody can replace Ruto, it means the problems we have with Ruto are that we are not sitting in that seat ourselves,” he said.
Matiang’i said he was prepared to support any candidate selected through a process that was inclusive and acceptable to the wider opposition, but opposed what he described as attempts by a few politicians to force others into supporting a predetermined choice.
“I will support anyone picked through an inclusive, acceptable, and respectful process. I have a serious problem with two or three people frogmarching everybody to a particular corner,” he said.
His comments underscore the challenge facing opposition leaders as they seek to agree on a common presidential candidate while balancing competing political interests and ambitions.
Matiang’i questions opposition unity strategy
The former CS also warned that bringing opposition parties together behind one candidate would not, by itself, guarantee electoral success.
He cited Brazil’s October 25 presidential runoff, in which incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was re-elected after defeating opposition challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. Official figures published by Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies showed Lula secured 51.79 per cent of valid votes against Bolsonaro’s 48.21 per cent.
“A united opposition candidate has just lost an election to an incumbent president in Brazil. Politics is very dynamic,” Matiang’i said.
He argued that the opposition needed more than an electoral alliance, insisting that it should present a convincing alternative to the current administration.
Matiang’i further claimed that the latest credible opinion survey showed that Ruto’s route to retaining power depended on divisions among his challengers.
“The latest credible survey demonstrates very clearly that President Ruto only has one pathway – a split opposition,” he said.
However, he did not identify the polling firm, survey date, sample size or methodology during the remarks cited, details that would be necessary to independently assess the claim.
Matiang’i pledges to scrap Housing Levy and tackle corruption
Beyond the opposition dispute, Matiang’i outlined several policy priorities he said he would pursue if elected president in 2027.
He pledged to abolish the Housing Levy, arguing that the financial burden on households had become unsustainable. He also promised to tackle public-sector wastage and bureaucratic inefficiencies as part of a broader effort to ease pressure on taxpayers.
The former Interior CS identified corruption as a major obstacle to national development, saying the government would need to confront the problem decisively to restore public confidence and improve the use of public resources.
“The level of corruption has reached unprecedented levels; unless it’s addressed courageously and boldly, we will not make headway,” he said.
Matiang’i also described his proposed presidency as a one-term administration focused on delivering fundamental changes rather than pursuing an extended stay in power.
“This is what I mean when I say one-term plus positive change. Change that will shake this country to its bone marrow,” he said.
Security, political violence and protection of foreigners
On security, Matiang’i promised a firm response to political violence and criminal activity, saying his administration would not tolerate the use of gangs or hired groups to intimidate opponents and disrupt public order.
“If I were president, you would not hear anything called goonism in Kenya,” he said.
He argued that political leaders should not be shielded from accountability when linked to criminal activities, adding that decisive enforcement of the law was necessary to address violence.
“It’s very simple: if leaders are allowed to get away with crime, you will not stop it. It’s firmness, decisiveness, direct and immediate action that will sort out these problems,” he said.
The former CS also pledged to protect Kenya’s sovereignty and the rights of foreign nationals, referring to the case of Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye.
Besigye was seized in Nairobi in November 2024 and subsequently taken to Uganda, where he faced charges before a military court. The circumstances of his transfer drew criticism from his family and supporters, as well as human rights advocates.
Matiang’i said a government under his leadership would not allow foreign nationals to be arrested in Kenya and transferred to their home countries in similar circumstances.
“No foreign citizen will be arrested in Kenya and handed over to their country the way Kizza Besigye was. That is very wrong,” he said.
Japan funding questions emerge as Matiang’i discusses campaign financing
Matiang’i’s comments on campaign financing also came amid scrutiny over reports linking his presidential ambitions to efforts to explore possible financial support from Japan.
During the NTV interview, he discussed fundraising beyond Kenya, arguing that politicians routinely seek financial backing from different sources, including business people based outside their countries.
He maintained that campaign financing should be transparent and subject to disclosure requirements and applicable electoral laws.
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However, in a separate account of the interview published on Monday, November 2, Matiang’i clarified that his engagement concerning Japan was not specifically directed at securing funding from the Japanese government. He said it involved seeking advice and exploring whether resources could be obtained from such sources.
He also defended the initiative, challenging critics to identify the specific electoral law that had been violated.
The distinction leaves open questions about the nature of the organisations or individuals he may approach, the source of any eventual contributions and how such funds would be treated under Kenya’s campaign-financing rules.
Matiang’i’s remarks come as political parties and prospective presidential candidates begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election, with the opposition yet to settle on a common candidate or agree on a definitive selection process.
His latest intervention places the question of inclusivity, ethnic arithmetic and the criteria for choosing a joint candidate at the centre of the opposition’s ongoing political negotiations.
