United Opposition Not United Any More As Some Principals Want Flagbearer Named
New splits have surfaced within the United Opposition over how to select a presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, showing weaknesses in the coalition’s unity.
The disagreements became public on Sunday, July 5, when certain coalition leaders disagreed with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s recommended method for picking the nominee.
The leaders include former Attorney General Justin Muturi and People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua.
Gachagua had previously stated that the opposition should not be pressed to nominate a presidential candidate.
He claimed that choosing their flagbearer earlier will give President William Ruto an advantage in the 2027 presidential contest.
According to Gachagua, the opposition would name its candidate as late as May 2027, three months before the elections.
Opposition Flagbearer Headache:
The United Opposition is facing growing internal divisions over the process of selecting its 2027 presidential candidate.
Martha Karua and Justin Muturi have publicly expressed reservations.#NTVWeekendEdition @Karanja_Ibrah @labaanshabaan pic.twitter.com/a593Myf735— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) July 5, 2026
“We can name a candidate as late as May 15 2027. That is the deadline for naming a candidate,” Gachagua stated during an event on July 3.
“Ruto, we will not give you an opportunity to intimidate our flagbearer or the advantage to divide us.”
However, Muturi, while speaking during a church service on Sunday, publicly disagreed with Gachagua, noting that the coalition should expedite the process of choosing a candidate early.
“We do not have a candidate because we are afraid that when we name him, William Ruto will do something to the candidate. He knows all of us; what can he do?” the Democratic Party (DP) leader posed.
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Muturi further went ahead and publicly endorsed Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka to carry the opposition flag to challenge President William Ruto in 2027.
However, PLP leader Martha Karua rejected claims that the coalition has named its flagbearer, stating that the opposition has no structure in place for choosing and naming a candidate.
“We don’t have the rules or the structure of announcing, so if anybody says they are announcing, they are announcing for themselves only and not for the coalition,” Karua stated.
The growing divisions come even as the coalition insists that they remain united by a single goal of defeating Ruto in 2027, saying that they cannot be divided.
The co-principals are all drumming up support to be named as the group’s flagbearer, but maintain that they will support whoever is settled on as the ultimate candidate.
Currently, Gachagua is at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri, where he said he would be in a 45-day consultation to try and determine who is best to represent the coalition in 2027.
United Opposition Not United Any More As Some Principals Want Flagbearer Named
