Tension is mounting within the united opposition amid growing suspicions of covert dealings among its top ranks.
Friction between allies of DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua and former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i now threatens to fracture the fragile unity holding the coalition together.
On Tuesday, a close confidant of Gachagua shocked the opposition when he branded Matiang’i a “state project” and a covert “NIS agent” planted to destabilise the movement from within.
Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru, a key ally of the former Deputy President, lifted the lid on the simmering mistrust during a popular talk show on Kameme TV. He openly questioned Matiang’i’s loyalty to the opposition cause.
“Matiang’i is a state project. Gen Z said they are party-less, leaderless, and then suddenly they started hyping up Matiang’i. Matiang’i is an NIS project,” Ndegwa claimed, exposing the unease in the opposition.
The mistrust, insiders suggest, may have slowed recent opposition activities, fuelling speculation of widening cracks in the coalition.
According to Ndegwa, planned opposition tours of Matiang’i’s Kisii stronghold were frustrated by the former CS himself.
“When we were touring the country, we didn’t get to go to Kisii because Matiang’i said he wasn’t ready to return home; he didn’t even come to Narok with us,” the lawyer alleged.
“Then he came back from the USA and didn’t tell us, but went ahead to Meru, yet he denied us the right to go to Kisii.”
The explosive claims have further deepened divisions in the opposition, splitting camps between those who view Matiang’i as a genuine political force and others who suspect he is undermining their cause.
Ndegwa, who is also a close ally of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, has long been a familiar face around the former Vice President.
Opposition insiders warn that unless the matter is swiftly addressed, unity ahead of the 2027 elections could be jeopardised.
Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi cautioned leaders against reckless remarks that risk destabilising the coalition from within.
“Sometimes as opposition we need to be very careful on what we say. Some of us could also be pretending to talk on behalf of others, but we could be the agents being used to make it look like there is an issue in the opposition, when there isn’t,” Mwangangi told the Star.
“For us small people, we can say what we want to say. What matters is the principals — and the principals are intact. Njiru is a senior lawyer in this country; I haven’t talked to him to know what he meant and the reason behind it.”
Mwangangi however admitted that, towards elections, both sides will have to contend with planted projects trying to rock the boat.
“Ahead of the 2027 elections, you will see people in government running away, others in opposition running away particularly those who are planted because they are there anyway. We expect a lot of things,” he said on the phone.
Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo also downplayed the friction in the opposition team, saying the principals are intact with the sole aim of rendering Ruto a one-term President in 2027.
“Talk of friction is not there. The principals are all pulling in one direction and to ensure President Ruto goes home in 2027,” Maanzo told the Star.
Former ruling Jubilee Party deputy organising secretary Pauline Njoroge, in a Facebook post, linked Ndegwa’s outburst to the recent tour of Meru by the former interior CS.
“Ndegwa can pursue whatever selfish interests he has, but he should leave opposition leaders out of that madness. Anyone who is fighting the opposition unity is essentially fighting the wantam (one term) agenda,” Njoroge said.
“Ni kama kuna watu wamekwaza ne Meru tour (It is like some people are irritated by the Meru tour).”
Matiang’i, who held a series of closed-door meetings with Meru leaders and opinion shapers, is said to have unsettled Gachagua’s camp, with his loyalists feeling that the former CS could be used to undercut the DP’s influence in the region ahead of 2027.
Ex-Gachagua insider Ngunjiri Wambugu claimed the former DP has adopted the practice of branding dissenters as state-sponsored operatives.“If you don’t support Gachagua politically you are either in the NIS or a government project,” Wambugu noted.
During the Friday visit, Matiang’i was hosted by PNU leader Peter Munya, another figure opposed to Gachagua’s claim of the Mt Kenya region.
Insiders whisper that the tour has revived old suspicions that Matiang’i is being propped up as a counterweight to Gachagua, a move that could complicate unity in the opposition and disrupt political calculations in Mt Kenya. Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia cautioned against growing unease whenever national leaders traverse different regions to drum up support.The MP said campaigns and consultative tours are part of a healthy democracy and should not be interpreted as hostility or betrayal.
He termed Njiru’s statements a misjudgment that could breed divisions at a time the country needs unity ahead of 2027.
“You know, every principal should be free to go to any part of the country without the other. Matiang’i must be allowed to go to Mt Kenya alone. Gachagua should go to Kisii alone. Kalonzo should go to Mt Kenya without necessarily going with the other person,” Kaguchia said.
“Let everyone build their personal national brand and at the end they will agree on who flies the flag based on influence gathered along the way. You can’t stop people from moving around.”
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The emerging fears of suspicion between Gachagua and Matiang’i may paralyse joint strategy sessions and derail the broader push against the government. For now, opposition unity hangs on a thread, and insiders warn that unless the wrangling is tamed, the ruling side may be the biggest beneficiary of the unfolding feud.
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