NYAMIRA, Kenya- Jubilee Party Leader Dr Fred Matiang’i has held a consultative meeting with Nyamira County MCAs days before he is set to lead a joint opposition tour of Kisii, shortly after President William Ruto’s development visit to the Gusii region.
Matiang’i said his meeting with the ward representatives focused on unity, collective leadership and the need for leaders to work together to advance the interests of Nyamira residents.
“Through continued dialogue and collaboration, we can build a stronger, more inclusive and prosperous Kenya,” he said.
The engagement comes as Matiang’i steps up his grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election, where he is seeking to unseat President Ruto on a Jubilee Party ticket.
Kisii tour after Ruto’s Gusii visit
Matiang’i is expected in Kisii County on Sunday, November 15, alongside PLP Leader Martha Karua, Siaya Governor James Orengo and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro.
The leaders are scheduled to attend a church service before holding engagements in Kisii Town and at Keroka Market.
Their visit comes just days after President Ruto concluded a tour of Nyamira and Kisii counties, where he attended a church service, launched and inspected road projects, and visited planned housing, digital and sports infrastructure developments.
President Ruto’s tour began in Nyamira, where he attended an interdenominational service at Nyamaiya Stadium before moving to development engagements in West Mugirango and North Mugirango constituencies.
Among the projects on the President’s itinerary were a digital hub, the Bondeni-Magombo Road, the Tombe-Isinta-Mokomoni Road and the proposed Magwagwa Stadium.
Matiang’i’s planned return to the region is expected to give the opposition an opportunity to respond to the government’s development message and reconnect with voters in the Gusii counties.
Matiang’i questions government projects
The Jubilee Party leader has already criticised President Ruto’s recent development push in Nyamira, accusing the administration of repeatedly launching the same projects instead of delivering new ones.
Speaking during an earlier opposition gathering, Matiang’i questioned some of the projects announced for Nyamira and said the government should focus on completing programmes that directly improve the lives of residents.
The criticism is likely to feature in his Kisii and Nyamira engagements as he seeks to convince voters that the Kenya Kwanza administration has not lived up to its promises.
For President Ruto, the Gusii tour was part of a wider effort to strengthen his administration’s political presence in a region that has traditionally leaned towards opposition candidates.
But for Matiang’i, the immediate task is to ensure that the opposition maintains its footing in the area and prevents President Ruto from converting development visits into lasting political support.
Building a 2027 campaign network
Matiang’i’s meeting with Nyamira MCAs underlines the importance he is placing on county-level leaders as he builds a national campaign structure.
MCAs remain influential grassroots mobilisers, with direct links to villages, wards and local opinion leaders.
By engaging them before his Kisii tour, Matiang’i is seeking to consolidate a local network that can help organise rallies, spread his message and rally support for his presidential bid.
The former Interior Cabinet Secretary is among several opposition leaders eyeing the presidency in 2027, alongside Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua, PLP Leader Martha Karua and other contenders.
The opposition has continued to hold talks on a possible united front, but it has not yet agreed on a single presidential candidate.
Matiang’i’s return to Kisii and Nyamira will therefore be closely watched as an early test of whether the opposition can match President Ruto’s growing campaign activity across the country.
