Cracks in the United Opposition with two factions emerge

Cracks have started emerging in the United Opposition as tension threatens to derail the possibility of a single candidate of face President William Ruto in the 2027 polls.

Sources in the opposition now say two camps are developing with a likelihood of splitting the team into two factions.

The first faction is coalescing around Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and it has former deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, DAP-Kenya’s Eugene Wamalwa and George Natembeya and DP leader Justin Muturi

The second team is made of ex-Interior Affairs Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, and People's Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua.

According to insiders, although the team had earlier appointed Kalonzo and Karua as co-convenors and Dr Mukhisa as head of secretariat and spokesperson two months ago, the team has never held a meeting on the way forward.

On Monday the first faction met at the SKM Command Centre in Karen to ostensibly discuss the impending by-elections and issued a statement on their unity in approaching the mini polls.

“We are committed to a better Kenya. Kenya is greater than anyone of us. The November 27 by-elections will prove that we ill be inevitable in reality,” Kalonzo and Gchagua wrote on their respective Facebook pages after the meeting attended by Natembeya, Wamalwa and former Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi.

However, Karua who was in Bondo to pay her homage to the home of late ODM leader Raila Odinga as well as Matiang’i and Mukhisa who were in Nairobi were not informed of the meeting or invited.

Last Friday Kalonzo shared a picture when he hosted Gachagua, Muturi and Linturi in his Karen home.

The tension seems to have escalated from last week when Karua as a co-convenor called for a group’s meeting which could not take off as Gachagua and Kalonzo did not show up.

“Karua was in Bondo while Matiang’i and Kituyi were in Nairobi and only leaned from the media about the meeting,” a source said adding that; “Dr Kituyi as the appointed head of secretariat and spokesperson has never issued a joint statement on behalf of the United Opposition as the other side is not working with him.”

Yesterday Karua, Dr. Matiang’i and Dr. Kituyi held a separate meeting to review their position within the United Opposition.

Dr. Matiang’i then later met MPs allied to him who include Kitutu Chache South MP Anthony Kibagendi, his Borabu counterpart Patrick Osero and former West Mugirango MP Kemosi Mogaka to deliberate on the developments.

“I have always been firmly focused and committed to the democratic process of searching for a single United Opposition candidate for the Presidency in 2027. The endorsement by the Jubilee Party NEC as the presidential nominee aligns with this vision and philosophy of consensus and coalition building,” Dr. Matiang’i wrote on his X page last evening.

He added; “I assure Kenyans that the United Opposition leaders will stick together and deliver one candidate. I have my eye on the presidency, a fete that I’ll only achieve through the route of the United Opposition. We will remain united.”

His post is said to have been a subtle response to the simmering tension and apparent isolation from the group’s activities following his move to join Jubilee and be appointed as deputy party leader.

Gachagua who has fashioned his DCP party as the only party in the Mt. Kenya region is said to be uncomfortable with Matiang’i move to Jubilee which has also foothold in the region and had previously asked to consider piking a party with presence in Kisii region.

Karua is also said to have complained of an incident in which Gachagua was ‘introducing’ her to a crowd in her home county of Kirinyaga during a recent tour of the region as he fashioned it as a DCP rally.

“Karua was not comfortable when Gachagua took the microphone, declared the region a DCP zone and then started inviting other leaders as guests to speak, yet that’s her home county,” an MP allied to the camp said commenting on the rallies held in Mwea three weeks ago.