Matiang’i: Forming Opposition coalition government won’t be easy

Jubilee presidential candidate Fred Matiang’i has admitted that the Opposition faces a difficult task in negotiating a coalition government should it win the 2027 General Election.

Matiang'i revealed that talks on power-sharing arrangements remain unresolved.

Matiang’i’s remarks come amid reports of mistrust and internal divisions within the United Opposition, whose key figures include Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua, People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua, Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi and Democratic Action Party-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa.

Although the Opposition has pledged to field a single presidential candidate in the 2027 elections, Matiang’i warned that agreeing on how to govern together could prove more complicated than negotiating an electoral pact.

Speaking to a local vernacular radio station on Tuesday, the former Interior Cabinet Secretary said discussions were still underway, with no agreement reached.

“Forming a coalition government is not easy. Whoever tells you it’s easy is lying. For now, we have not yet agreed. Talks are still ongoing,” Matiang’i said.

His remarks point to the potential difficulties facing opposition leaders as they seek to unite behind one candidate while managing competing political interests and negotiating positions in a possible post-election administration.

Beyond coalition negotiations, Matiang’i challenged the government to take decisive action against criminals accused of disrupting political gatherings and terrorising members of the public.

He questioned what he described as selective enforcement of the law, contrasting the alleged failure to arrest armed groups with the arrest of young people over their social media posts.

“How can you be unable to arrest criminals walking with machetes while at the same time you arrest young people posting on their social media?” he posed.

The Jubilee leader also outlined his party’s priorities for Narok and Kajiado counties, identifying water scarcity as a major challenge requiring a lasting solution.

“Narok and Kajiado have one common problem, and I am saying this with a lot of objectivity: water is the big problem. We need to have a long-lasting solution to the water shortage in these counties,” he said.

Matiang’i further disclosed Jubilee’s intended gubernatorial candidates in the two counties ahead of the 2027 elections

The party’s Secretary-General, Moitalel Ole Kenta, is expected to pursue the Kajiado governorship, while politician Kores Ole Taraiya has been identified for the Narok seat.