Opposition leaders rally behind unity to oust Ruto in 2027

Opposition leaders are intensifying calls for unity ahead of the 2027 General Election, urging rival principals to bury personal ambitions and rally behind a single presidential candidate capable of defeating President William Ruto at the ballot.

The renewed push for unity has put the spotlight on the opposition’s ability to transform its growing political alliance into a formidable electoral force, with leaders warning that divisions and competing presidential ambitions could hand Ruto an advantage.

Former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has offered to sacrifice his own presidential ambitions if another opposition leader emerges as the strongest candidate to send Ruto home in the first round.

Speaking in Washington, United States yesterday, Gachagua said the opposition should use its numbers and political strengths to identify the candidate with the best chance of defeating the President.

“If we do our arithmetic and find Sifuna ndio atapeleka hii mtu nyumbani mapema, so be it. And there’s no problem. There’s no problem. Even I, Riggy G, I can deputise Sifuna, kwani iko makosa gani? Even Sifuna can deputise me. Sifuna can deputise Kalonzo. Kalonzo can deputise Sifuna,” Gachagua said.

He said opposition leaders must be prepared to complement one another and put victory ahead of individual political ambitions.

Gachagua later reinforced the message, saying he would support any leader who could convince the opposition that they offered the best chance of defeating Ruto.

“If you persuade us that you’re the best person ya kupeleka Kasongo nyumbani, tutakupatia, kwani iko nini? There’s no problem. If my cousin Kalonzo convinces us he can bring a Kibaki moment, why not? And I can tell you, I have looked at that arithmetic; we will come up with one candidate, and you will like it,” he said.

The remarks came as Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi also called for selflessness among opposition principals, challenging them to consider who they would be willing to support if they failed to emerge as the coalition’s preferred candidate.

Muturi, however, rejected suggestions that a so-called scientific formula should determine who carries the opposition flag.

“Don’t tell us that you’re going to wait for something called science. A so-called scientific formula—which one? Where have you ever heard that science was used to choose a president? Let us just ask ourselves. Just ask yourself: If not me, who can I step down for?” Muturi posed during a Sunday service at ACK St Paul’s Church in Othaya.

His remarks underline the central challenge facing the opposition: forging consensus among several political heavyweights who have either declared or are believed to harbour presidential ambitions.

People’s Party leader Ndindi Nyoro has separately demanded an expedited agreement on the flagbearer, warning that prolonged infighting could squander the opportunity opposition parties believe they have to defeat Ruto.

Speaking during a tour of Kirinyaga yesterday, September 6, 2026, Nyoro urged opposition politicians to stop turning against one another and focus on their common objective.

“Those of us in the opposition should stop wasting the opportunity for Kenyans and fighting amongst ourselves. Our enemy is one, named William Ruto,” Nyoro said.

The unity push comes as opposition parties seek to consolidate their support ahead of the 2027 contest, with the question of whether they can agree on one presidential candidate emerging as the defining test of the alliance.

The opposition’s calculations have also extended into Ruto’s administration, with People’s Renaissance Movement leader Caleb Amisi calling on Deputy President Kithure Kindiki to abandon the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

“This ship of Ruto is sinking. Remove your child quickly before this ship sinks completely. If he must be a deputy, even in this PM party, he can be the deputy party leader of PM,” Amisi said.

Meanwhile, Jubilee deputy leader Fred Matiang’i has urged political leaders to pursue their ambitions without threatening the country’s stability.

Speaking in Githunguri, Matiang’i warned against turning the 2027 contest into a winner-takes-all battle in which politicians lose sight of the country beyond the election.

“And let us consider the stability of our country. It should not be that we are fighting as if there will be no Kenya after the election. We cannot see these positions as an end in themselves at the expense of our people,” Matiang’i said.

The latest calls expose a growing consensus among opposition figures that their best route to power in 2027 lies in unity rather than fragmented presidential campaigns.