NLP rules out automatically backing Kalonzo, Matiang’i in 2027

National Liberal Party (NLP) flagbearer Augustus Kyalo Muli with the Agikuyu Council of Elders at a past event/HANDOUT

National Liberal Party (NLP) flagbearer Augustus Kyalo Muli has declared that his party will not automatically line up behind either Kalonzo Musyoka or Fred Matiang’i in the 2027 General Election.

Muli positioned himself as a fresh contender determined to disrupt Kenya’s opposition politics.

In a statement, Muli dismissed assumptions that the NLP would fold into any pre-existing political formations, insisting instead that he represents a new alternative capable of reshaping the race.

“We will form the next government or be part of the winning coalition,” Muli said.

The NLP leader took direct aim at Kalonzo, arguing that the long-serving Wiper leader has failed to deliver meaningful gains for his backyard.

“Forty-five years of Kalonzo’s leadership have not benefited the community. It is time for new leaders to rise,” he charged.

His remarks come amid shifting alliances within the opposition. Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, who chairs the Azimio coalition, has publicly thrown his weight behind Matiang’i. The Party of National Unity (PNU) has also announced support for Matiang’i’s presidential bid.

Kalonzo, meanwhile, has entrenched himself under the “United Opposition” banner as the Wiper Democratic Movement flagbearer, seeking to consolidate his traditional support base while courting new allies.

But even as realignments take shape, Azimio appears to be grappling with internal turbulence.

The reported fallout between ODM party leader Oburu Oginga Odinga and a section of party lawmakers led by Edwin Sifuna and Babu Owino has exposed cracks within the Orange party, further complicating opposition unity efforts.

Against this backdrop, NLP now claims a membership of over 500,000. While modest compared to Kenya’s major political parties, analysts argue the figure could prove decisive in a tightly contested race.

In 2022, President William Ruto edged his main rival by a margin of just 200,000 votes. In such a scenario, NLP’s half a million members could emerge as a potential kingmaker bloc if mobilised effectively.

Muli has made it clear he is not waiting for elite consensus. Instead, he is aggressively carving out his own political lane—championing marginalized communities, rallying coastal voices, and projecting himself as a unifying national figure.

Months earlier, the Agikuyu Council of Elders quietly endorsed Muli, granting him blessings to campaign in the Mt Kenya region.

Although the endorsement did not dominate headlines at the time, analysts say it signaled a potential realignment that could redraw Kenya’s political arithmetic.

The elders reportedly urged him to forge unity between the GEMA and Kamba blocs.

Muli’s rhetoric has framed as both a dare to Azimio’s establishment and a rallying call to voters fatigued by what he describes as recycled leadership.