Opposition leaders seeking to unseat President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election have renewed their commitment to field a single presidential candidate, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle to consolidate the anti-government vote.
Former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua said the opposition’s much-talked-about “WANTAM” campaign — shorthand for “one term and out” — would become a reality exactly one year from Tuesday.
Mr Gachagua said leaders of the United Alternative Government had agreed to overcome individual political ambitions and settle on one candidate capable of challenging President Ruto.
“One year to the 2027 General Election, we met this afternoon and renewed our commitment that no matter what, we shall have one single presidential candidate to send Mr William Ruto home and restore our country and the dignity of Kenyans,” Mr Gachagua said.
The former DP, who has emerged as one of Mr Ruto’s most vocal critics since his removal from office in October 2024, described the meeting as a reaffirmation of the opposition’s determination to unite ahead of the elections.
He credited Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua with playing a central role in bringing the rival opposition leaders together.
“Thank you my sister, the Iron Lady Hon Martha Karua, for being the mother of our liberation and always bringing us together,” Mr Gachagua said.
The meeting brought together several prominent figures who have either declared presidential ambitions or are associated with major opposition parties and political formations.
They included Ms Karua, former Attorney-General Justin Muturi, former Cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i, former Cabinet minister Peter Munya, former Mwingi North MP Lenny Kivuti, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa and Mohamed Ali, who represented former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka.
The gathering signals renewed efforts by opposition leaders to construct a broad political alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential contest, in which President Ruto is expected to seek a second and final term.
Former Interior Cabinet secretary and Jubilee Party deputy leader Fred Matiang’i separately endorsed the one-candidate strategy, saying the opposition leaders remained united in their determination to offer Kenyans an alternative in 2027.
“One year to the 2027 General Election, we met this afternoon as leaders of the United Alternative Government and renewed our commitment to present one presidential candidate to the people of Kenya,” Dr Matiang’i said.
Dr Matiang’i, who has increasingly featured in opposition discussions as a possible presidential contender, said the leaders were committed to working together despite their different political backgrounds.
“Together with Hon Rigathi Gachagua, Hon Martha Karua, Hon Justin Muturi, Hon Peter Munya, Hon Lenny Kivuti, Hon Eugene Wamalwa and Hon Mohamed Ali, representing Dr Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, we remain united in our mission to restore our country and the dignity of Kenyans,” he said.
“Together, we shall fix our country,” Dr Matiang’i added.
The declarations come as opposition parties face the difficult task of transforming their growing cooperation into a formal electoral alliance and, ultimately, agreeing on a single flag bearer.
With several of the leaders having presidential ambitions, the choice of the opposition candidate is expected to be one of the most contentious issues in the coming months.
Mr Gachagua has positioned himself as a key figure in the anti-Ruto movement, while Dr Matiang’i, Ms Karua and Mr Musyoka remain influential players in the opposition landscape.
The challenge for the emerging coalition will be to reconcile these competing ambitions while retaining the support of their respective political bases.
The leaders’ latest pledge also comes at a time when preparations for the 2027 elections are gathering pace, with political parties repositioning themselves and courting allies across the country.
For Mr Gachagua and his allies, however, the immediate message is that the opposition intends to avoid the fragmentation that has characterised previous elections.
Their stated objective is to unite behind one candidate and turn the 2027 presidential election into a direct referendum on the Ruto administration.
Whether the emerging alliance can survive the inevitable contest over the presidential ticket remains the central question facing the opposition as the countdown to 2027 enters its final year.
For now, the leaders insist they have one overriding goal: one candidate, one opposition vote and a bid to defeat President Ruto.
