NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has announced he will back Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka for the presidency if the opposition unites behind him as a joint candidate in the 2027 general election.
Speaking on Friday during the Wiper National Delegates Conference (NDC) at Nairobi’s Uhuru Park, Gachagua said he was ready to throw his full political weight behind Kalonzo, promising to campaign even more vigorously than he did for President William Ruto in 2022.
“If the formula we use will help Kalonzo Musyoka to be the only presidential candidate from the opposition, I and my millions of followers will support and campaign for him,” Gachagua told the cheering delegates. “What I did for Ruto was only a teaser; the campaign I will undertake will be ten times bigger.”
Gachagua urged Kalonzo to intensify grassroots mobilisation and continue engaging other opposition leaders to strengthen his bid, saying only a united opposition could mount a serious challenge to President Ruto.
“Continue looking for votes, continue building bridges with our colleagues. That is the only way we can secure victory,” he said.
The former deputy president dismissed the possibility of any third force outside Ruto and a united opposition coalition standing a realistic chance in 2027.
Matiang’i joins calls for unity
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, who also attended the Wiper NDC, echoed Gachagua’s remarks and pledged to support Kalonzo if the opposition settles on him as its flagbearer.
“We have agreed we must put ambition and everything else before the interest of this country,” Matiang’i said. “When we sit together and the united opposition decides that you (Kalonzo) will be the candidate, I will support you, and we will support you.”
The statements by the two former senior officials underscored growing momentum for a single opposition ticket, even as internal divisions persist among key political factions.
Push for a united front
Kalonzo, who has long styled himself as a bridge-builder within the opposition, has in recent months stepped up consultations with other leaders including DAP-K’s Eugene Wamalwa and Narc-Kenya’s Martha Karua.
Their engagements are part of a broader effort to consolidate a united front against Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration, which faces growing criticism over the economy and governance record.
Political observers say Gachagua’s endorsement could significantly reshape opposition dynamics, particularly in the Mount Kenya region, where his influence remains notable.
