By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, 3 June 2026 - A growing chorus within Kenya's Opposition is piling pressure on rival political camps to shelve personal ambitions and rally behind a single presidential candidate for the 2027 General Election, with Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina warning that failure to unite could hand President William Ruto a second term.
The youthful legislator, elected on the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket but increasingly aligned with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), says the Opposition's biggest challenge is not President Ruto but the inability of its leaders to agree on a common candidate.
Speaking during a televised breakfast interview, Njeri argued that defeating the President would require discipline, strategy and sacrifice among Opposition leaders.
"I do think that it is very critical for the Opposition to be very well aware that fielding a single ticket for the 2027 presidential election is very important," she said.
"I have said this before and I will say it again that people must not let their ego get the best of them. Ultimately, the President is a worthy opponent."
Drawing from her experience campaigning alongside President Ruto during the 2022 elections, the MP cautioned that underestimating the Head of State would be a costly political mistake.
"I am a UDA-elected MP and I went round with him in Kirinyaga County. We must organze ourselves and be very strategic about it. We must ensure that we look at the bigger picture, which is fielding a single candidate," she said.
Her remarks come as political realignments intensify ahead of the next General Election, with parties opposed to the Kenya Kwanza administration seeking to forge a united front against President Ruto.
Njeri later amplified her position through a post on her X account, declaring that she would not participate in national campaigns if the Opposition fails to settle on one presidential flag bearer.
"If the Opposition does not field a single ticket for the presidency, I will have no business engaging in national campaigns. The greater good of the Republic of Kenya must matter to us all beyond satisfaction of personal egos," she posted.
The comments have reignited debate over who should carry the Opposition banner in 2027 amid growing speculation involving Gachagua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua, DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa and other key figures seeking influence within the emerging anti-Ruto coalition.
At the same time, Njeri dismissed growing calls for the impeachment of President Ruto, arguing that while she would personally support such a motion, the Opposition lacks the parliamentary numbers required to remove the President from office.
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"And yes, I would sign an impeachment motion against the President and support it to the end," she wrote.
"Doesn't change the fact that it is an exercise in futility as we simply don't have the numbers."
She argued that the ballot box, rather than parliamentary arithmetic, remains the most viable route for those seeking political change.
"The ballot is where we shall square it out with the President, if the Opposition is able to tame their egos and give us a unified single ticket," she stated.
Significantly, the Opposition has already begun testing the unity formula in the forthcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, widely viewed as an early battleground for influence in the vote-rich Mt Kenya region.
During a meeting convened by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, parties operating under the United Alternative Government coalition resolved to field a single candidate in the July 16 contest.
The meeting brought together representatives from DCP, Jubilee Party, Wiper Democratic Movement, Democratic Party, People's Liberation Party, Democratic Action Party-Kenya, Party of National Unity, United Progressive Independent Alliance and the Bus Party.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the coalition announced that it would identify its candidate through an independent scientific survey and opinion polling process.
"The candidate will be identified through an independent scientific survey and credible opinion polling to determine the aspirant best placed to secure victory and advance the interests of the people of Ol Kalou," the coalition said.
So far, among the Opposition parties, only Gachagua's DCP and the Uhuru Kenyatta-led Jubilee Party have fronted candidates for the Ol Kalou seat, setting the stage for what could become the first major test of whether the broad Opposition alliance can successfully rally behind a single ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential race.