Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has cautioned opposition leaders against rushing the search for a joint 2027 presidential flagbearer, dismissing growing anxieties over coalition timelines as premature.
Speaking during his tour of the United States on Saturday, Gachagua directly countered urgent calls from Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who recently warned that delayed negotiations could cost the opposition the upcoming general election.
The Linda Mwananchi movement leader had urged opposition factions to consolidate their power immediately, arguing that waiting until late 2025 or next year risks fracturing the alliance, encouraging individual political ambitions, and giving the ruling Kenya Kwanza broad-based administration an early campaign advantage.
Gachagua revealed he personally reached out to the lawmaker to calm concerns, advising the younger politician to trust the strategic timing of experienced political operators.
Reassuring supporters, the former DP argued that opposition unity does not require an immediate candidate declaration to be effective.
To reinforce his point, Gachagua drew parallels to historical precedent, pointing to the late President Mwai Kibaki’s landmark 2002 victory under the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC).
He noted that the opposition opposition bloc agreed on Kibaki as its unified candidate on October 14, 2002, just 73 days before the December 27 polls.
With ample time remaining before the 2027 contest, Gachagua insisted that the opposition remains on strong footing to deliberate, negotiate, and present a formidable front when the momentum demands it most.
