Matiang'i takes aim at Gachagua, says arrogance will wreck opposition

Jubilee Party Presidential candidate Fred Matiang’i. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Jubilee Party Presidential candidate Fred Matiang’i is at war with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, claiming that the latter's arrogance and pride would wreck the united opposition.

Dr Matiang’i said that Gachagua’s approach to politics is likely to divide the opposition and weaken its chances of defeating President William Ruto during the 2027 General Election.

The Jubilee Party leader, who was speaking during an interview with NTV, questioned the argument that anyone could replace the President, saying the opposition needed to offer a credible alternative rather than focus solely on who will be taking over State House.

“When someone says that anybody can replace Ruto, it raises serious questions since it seems that what drives us in our quest to remove Ruto from office is because we are not the ones occupying that seat; that is a wrong approach to leadership,” said Matiang’i.

The Jubilee Leader dismissed the assertion by Gachagua that only a few opposition principals are enough to send Ruto home, arguing that such exclusion of other leaders is what will have the current President sail back to power after the 2027 general election easily.

Matiang'i maintained that the country’s leadership should be determined through competition based on ideas, development platforms, track records, competence and qualifications rather than ethnic mobilisation, which has been the major problem in our country.

The Jubilee Party Leader said that he was willing to support any candidate selected through an inclusive and acceptable process but opposed attempts by a small group of politicians to impose their preferred candidate on others, which he said was bound to backfire.

 “I am greatly concerned that arrogance and pride among opposition leaders could create divisions at a time when the coalition needed to unite behind a candidate capable of challenging Ruto in the next election; if we are not going to check out, that will be our downfall,” said Matiang’i.

The Jubilee Party Leader said that he was against the idea of two or three people frog-marching all candidates and dictating how the opposition parties will run their affairs, saying that is a road that has been travelled before with negative consequences.

Matiang’i cautioned opposition leaders against assuming that unity automatically guaranteed victory, citing Brazil, where a united opposition candidate had recently lost to an incumbent president, since politics is very dynamic.

The Jubilee Presidential Candidate said that despite his worry about divisions within the opposition, President Ruto’s chances of retaining power solely depended on whether his challengers remained a united force or went their separate ways.

“The latest credible opinion survey has shown that President Ruto’s clearest path to retaining power was a divided opposition and that the ball lies squarely in our court on whether we will do the right thing or hand the President a second term through our disunity,” said Matiang’i.

The Jubilee Party leader also outlined his agenda for Kenya if elected president, promising to introduce major changes in governance, security and economic policies promising to scrap the Housing Levy, arguing that the tax burden on Kenyans was unsustainable.

 Matiangi said that it was imperative for the government to address wastage of public resources and bureaucratic inefficiencies in the public service, stating that corruption is one of the biggest impediments to the country’s development.

The Jubilee Party Leader cautioned that the country would struggle to make progress unless corruption was dealt with, saying that our country had huge potential of being one of the fastest-growing economies in the world but graft was a barrier.

“We need measures in place to address the high degree of corruption in every sector of the country since if we used taxpayers’ money prudently the country could be among the fastest growing economies, this requires a decisive leader,” said Matiang'i.

The Jubilee Party Leader described his proposed leadership as a one-term presidency focused on delivering fundamental changes rather than remaining in power for an extended period and said that what he intends to achieve in five years will leave a permanent mark in the country.

The former Interior Cabinet Secretary promised a focused approach towards dealing with political violence and criminal activities, declaring that his administration would not tolerate goonism if elected to power since it is a recipe for anarchy.

Matiangi pointed out that allowing political leaders to escape accountability for criminal activities had contributed to continued violence, insisting that immediate and decisive action was necessary to restore law and order.

“No leader should be allowed to get away with crime for it to serve as a lesson to those intending to engage in violence; our sovereignty and the rights of foreign nationals would be protected under the administration if elected next year,” said Matiang'i.

He said that he would not allow foreigners to be arrested in Kenya and handed over to their governments under circumstances similar to those involving Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye, who was reportedly abducted in Nairobi in November 2024 and transferred to Uganda.

 Matiangi said that he has not received financial support from foreign entities, saying his presidential bid would depend on contributions from local supporters and volunteers so that citizens can own his campaign.

The Jubilee Party Leader said that his campaign would comply with electoral financing disclosure requirements expected from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which is a requirement for all leaders seeking higher office in the country.

“My Presidential campaign will be financed by Kenyans; that is why I do not expect financial aid from any foreign organisation, because the IEBC regulations require politicians to reveal sources of their campaign financing,” said Matiang’i.