Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has warned that the opposition risks handing President William Ruto a straight path to a second term if it repeats past mistakes in selecting its 2027 presidential flag bearer.
Speaking during an interview on Spice FM, Kioni, a close ally of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, criticized the current approach in opposition circles where a few individuals appear to be driving the decision on who becomes the joint candidate.
He recalled how in 2022 the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition unveiled Raila Odinga and Martha Karua without broad consultation, a move he believes divided voters and weakened the coalition.
“In this united opposition, some want six people to decide the flag bearer. I disagree. That will take us back to the same place where we were with Azimio. Repeating that mistake will only please Ruto in State House,” Kioni said.
Kioni further warned that fielding a candidate from Mt Kenya would only play into Ruto’s hands, given the region’s large voting bloc.
“If we make the mistake of fielding a candidate from Mt Kenya, we play straight into Ruto’s hands. That is what is making Gachagua very uncomfortable. Splitting that block, as Ruto is already doing, gives him a clear path to another 15 years in State House,” he cautioned.
His remarks come at a time when cracks are emerging in the united opposition over the 2027 flag bearer, with former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i now being touted as one of Jubilee’s possible presidential candidates.
Matiang’i attended the Jubilee Party National Delegates Congress (NDC) last week, where Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed the party would field candidates in all elective positions and embark on a fresh grassroots recruitment drive.
According to Kioni, Jubilee has decided to back Matiang’i, saying the former CS has been unfairly sidelined within the broader opposition.
