Cracks are starting to appear within the United Opposition, with two of its leading figures, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, at the centre of a dispute.
The two clashed over the best way to select the group’s presidential candidate for the upcoming 2027 general election, a role in which both are interested.
On Friday, October 3, Gachagua criticising the former Interior CS, accused him of trying to secure the group’s endorsement through boardroom and hotel meetings.
According to Gachagua, the best way to choose the flagbearer is through grassroots mobilization and engaging directly with the public.
“Getting elected as President is about political mobilisation. Many people may want to spend a lot of time in boardrooms and hotels, discussing theories,” he said.
“There is no President you will make in a boardroom. Presidents are made in the field,” Gachagua asserted.
His criticism seemed targeted at Matiang’i’s perceived strategy to be the flagbearer, as observed by his limited movement around the country compared to other opposition members.
The once-powerful CS has reportedly been engaging with influential people instead, even as he appears to be the preferred candidate for former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s party, Jubilee.
However, in a quick response, Matiang’i assured his supporters that he would soon begin a nationwide tour to galvanize support.
During an engagement with over 500 youths in Nakuru, Matiang’i defended his approach, stating that it would soon become clear who the best candidate to connect with voters is.
“For those who are saying I am a technocrat and that I will not campaign, let us meet on the ground,” he said.
“I will wear my Sketchers and I will go to every village in this country, talking to Kenyans to seek their votes and support so that we can change this country,” Matiang’i added.
The feud emerges amid signs of fractures within the group, with internal conflicts believed to be at the core.
Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, regarded as a leading potential flagbearer, has also been embroiled in controversy over a ‘secret’ engagement with President William Ruto as the race to 2027 intensifies.
