Uhuru to lead high-stakes Azimio talks on 2027 Ruto’s challenger

Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and Council Chairman of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Council is today scheduled to chair a crucial meeting that is expected to shape the opposition’s strategy ahead of the 2027 General Election, with leaders seeking to establish a structured formula for selecting a single presidential candidate to challenge President William Ruto.

The high-level meeting, being hosted by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, comes amid heightened political activity and growing calls for opposition unity as parties begin positioning themselves for the next election.

Among those expected to participate are former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i who is also Jubilee Party presidential candidate, DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa, former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi, People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua and former ODM Secretary-General and the now Linda Mwananchi Movement leader Edwin Sifuna, alongside other senior coalition officials.

The key agenda of the meeting, according to impeccable sources who spoke to The Informer Media Group intimated the talks will be centered on the establishment of a clear and acceptable framework for identifying a single opposition presidential flagbearer, a move leaders believe will prevent divisions that could undermine efforts to unseat President Ruto.

The coalition hopes that agreeing on an objective selection mechanism early will provide certainty to member parties and avert protracted disputes over leadership as the campaign season gathers momentum.

However, Kalonzo has sought to downplay suggestions that Uhuru is orchestrating the opposition’s political offensive against President Ruto, insisting that the retired Head of State is merely discharging his constitutional responsibilities within the coalition.

Speaking during a church service at the ACK Cathedral in Embu yesterday ahead of the meeting, Kalonzo dismissed reports portraying Uhuru as the architect of opposition plans to challenge the Kenya Kwanza administration.

“So do not paint a picture that Uhuru is organising us to face Ruto. We are organising ourselves to face Ruto and nobody will do it for us,” Kalonzo said.

According to the Wiper leader, Monday’s meeting is intended to strengthen and reorganise Azimio as a political coalition rather than devise strategies specifically aimed at confronting President Ruto.

“The meeting Uhuru chairs on Monday (today) is just about moving Azimio forward and not arranging how to tackle Ruto,” he said.

Kalonzo emphasised that Uhuru’s role should be viewed strictly through the lens of his office as Chairperson of the Azimio Coalition Council and not as the commander of opposition politics.

“Uhuru is a retired President, but he is also the council chair of Azimio la Umoja. I am the party leader of Azimio,” Kalonzo said.

He urged political observers to avoid creating unnecessary political tension by suggesting the former President was actively leading a campaign against his successor.

“Do not make Ruto panic that Uhuru is plotting against him. He is just there to make sure Azimio as a political organisation moves to the next level and brings everybody on board,” he added.

His remarks come amid widespread speculation that Uhuru has been playing a central role behind the scenes in efforts to reorganise the opposition and forge a formidable alliance capable of mounting a serious challenge against President Ruto in 2027.

Insiders who spoke on condition of anonymity have linked today’s meeting to broader discussions on consolidating opposition forces by bringing together leaders from Azimio, Jubilee, Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K), Wiper and other like-minded political formations under a common political platform.

The anticipated attendance of leaders such as Gachagua, Matiang’i, Wamalwa and Muturi underscores the growing momentum behind efforts to create a broad-based opposition coalition that cuts across traditional political affiliations.

Political observers view the talks as one of the most significant opposition engagements since the 2022 General Election, with the outcome expected to influence coalition arrangements, campaign structures and leadership negotiations over the coming months.

Kalonzo has consistently maintained that he will not work with President Ruto and has repeatedly called on opposition leaders to put aside personal ambitions in favour of unity.

Kalonzo contend that that only a united opposition can present Kenyans with a credible alternative government in the next election.

The discussions also come as several opposition leaders continue holding consultations across the country to build consensus on governance reforms, economic recovery and constitutional issues that are expected to dominate the 2027 campaign agenda.

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party was formed ahead of the 2022 General Election to support the presidential bid of the late Raila Odinga, bringing together major political parties including ODM, Wiper, Jubilee and several affiliate parties.

Although Raila lost the presidential contest to William Ruto, the coalition has remained one of the country’s largest opposition formations and is now seeking to reinvent itself by expanding its membership and developing a unified strategy for the next election.

Today’s meeting is expected to lay the foundation for a more cohesive opposition by establishing an agreed formula for selecting a single presidential candidate while strengthening the coalition’s internal structures.