Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has reaffirmed his commitment to fostering unity within the opposition.
In a statement on Tuesday, November 4, Matiang'i noted that coalition-building and consensus will be central to their strategy ahead of the 2027 General Election.
"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," he said.
Matiang’i expressed confidence that the opposition will rally behind a single presidential candidate, saying this unity is the only viable path toward mounting a credible challenge to the ruling administration.
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"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," he added.
The Jubilee Party on Thursday, October 30, endorsed Matiang’i as its presidential candidate in the 2027 General Election.
In a statement, Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni said the decision was made during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, where members unanimously approved Matiang’i’s bid.
In addition, Kioni announced that the party also appointed Matiang'i as the Deputy Party Leader.
"We have received and formally accepted Dr. Fred Matiang’i’s application for his presidential bid, and the NEC has agreed that he carries our flag. We have also appointed Matiang’i as our Deputy Party Leader going forward," he said.
The endorsement came two weeks after Matiang'i told off critics linking him to President William Ruto.
Speaking in Tigania, Tharaka Nithi County, on Saturday, October 11, he shot down the claims, stating that he would never want to be part of the current regime, which he accused of running down the country.
Matiang'i blamed bloggers and a section of the media for fueling misinformation, restating his bid to unseat Ruto and effect the reforms that Kenya needs.
"I am angry sometimes when I see this nonsensical propaganda that I am going to work with Ruto. How can I work with them? I know these people, more than how you know them," he said.
Matiang'i further accused Ruto of bungling the country and banking on cheap public relations to cover for the inefficiencies covered by his regime.
He promised to transform the country and reinstate programmes he said were serving the citizenry before they were interfered with by the current regime.
One of such is the Linda Mama programme, which Matiang'i promised to restore to its entirety as left by former president Uhuru Kenyatta.
"This is a government of blogging and bribery. Their medical cover is not working. Money is being misappropriated, and Kenyans are not getting services.
"Leading the country has become a burden for Kenya Kwanza. Their biggest project is theft, and paying bloggers to spin on who is working with whom, and then bribing the citizenry in the name of economic empowerment," he said.
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