It is now official. The opposition is headed for a messy divorce.
What was supposed to be a formidable coalition to wrestle power from President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration has instead turned into a bitter power struggle, with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i unable to see eye to eye.
The two leaders, who had been touted as key pillars in the opposition’s 2027 game plan, fell out last week in what insiders describe as a “brutal” confrontation that has left any hopes of a united front in tatters.
The Battle Lines Are Drawn
In the aftermath of the fallout, Gachagua has made his position clear: he is going all out for Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka. Sources within the DP’s inner circle say the matter is “closed and sealed,” with orders already issued to his troops to throw their full weight behind the former Vice President.
“Rigathi has made up his mind. Kalonzo is the man, and everyone in our camp knows it,” a close ally of the DP told this writer on condition of anonymity.
Already, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa and former Attorney General Justin Muturi have pitched tent in this camp, giving Gachagua-Kalonzo axis some serious political muscle.
But Matiang’i is not taking things lying down. The former CS, who has been crisscrossing the country testing the waters for his own State House bid, has assembled an impressive lineup of heavyweights. Leading the pack is retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose influence in Mt Kenya and beyond cannot be wished away.
Also in Matiang’i’s corner are Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya—the no-nonsense administrator who has become a darling of many Kenyans—veteran Siaya Senator James Orengo, NARC-Kenya leader Martha Karua, and former Agriculture CS Peter Munya.
Kalonzo Caught in the Middle
In a twist that speaks to the complexity of Kenyan politics, Kalonzo Musyoka, the man Gachagua wants as president, is now playing peacemaker between the two warring camps. The Wiper leader has been burning the midnight oil trying to hold together the Jubilee Party and Gachagua’s Democratic Congress Party (DCP), but even his legendary political survival skills may not be enough this time.
“Kalonzo is the glue, but the pieces are too broken,” a political analyst who has been following the developments closely observed.
Mt Kenya Splits
The fallout has sent shockwaves through Mt Kenya, where both Gachagua and Matiang’i have been angling for influence. In what can only be described as a public snub, both Martha Karua and Peter Munya have been conspicuously absent from recent DCP meetings in the region.
Their message is loud and clear: they are with Matiang’i, not Gachagua.
This is a significant blow to the DP, who had hoped to consolidate the Mt Kenya vote as his bargaining chip in any coalition arrangement. With Karua and Munya—both respected figures in the region—now in the rival camp, Gachagua’s grip on the mountain is looking shaky.
The Money Question
As if the leadership wrangles were not enough, there is the small matter of money. Building a winning presidential campaign requires billions of shillings, and both camps are reportedly struggling to agree on who will bankroll the operation and how the funds will be managed.
Then there is the thorny issue of the running mate. Who gets the DP slot? Will it go to Mt Kenya to lock in the region’s vote? Or will it be used to woo another community? These are questions that have no easy answers, and the disagreements are only adding fuel to an already raging fire.
A House Divided
For ordinary Kenyans who have been hoping for a credible alternative to the current administration, the opposition’s implosion is nothing short of a disaster. Many had pinned their hopes on a united front that could challenge Ruto’s grip on power, but what they are getting instead is a familiar script: leaders more interested in their own ambitions than the people’s welfare.
“We’ve seen this movie before,” said a political commentator who requested anonymity. “In 2013, in 2017, in 2022, the opposition always finds a way to shoot itself in the foot. This time is no different.”
With just months to go before serious campaigns kick off, the clock is ticking. Can Kalonzo pull off a miracle and bring the two camps together? Or are we headed for yet another election where the opposition hands victory to their opponents on a silver platter?
For now, the Gachagua-Matiang’i fallout has confirmed what many suspected: Kenya’s opposition is its own worst enemy.
