Roots Party leader George Wajackoyah/ FILERoots Party leader George Wajackoyah has confirmed that he will contest the presidency in the 2027 General Election, saying his grassroots mobilisation gives him confidence that he will make it onto the ballot.
Speaking during an interview on K24 on Monday, Wajackoyah said he remained committed to his presidential bid despite not featuring prominently in opinion polls.
“I'm on the ballot. I'm running for president,” he said.
Wajackoyah, who contested the presidency in the 2022 General Election, said his political strategy had changed since the last election, when he emerged as one of four candidates who made it through the vetting process after 54 aspirants expressed interest in the presidency.
He said he had since focused on building his support at the grassroots and was confident in his ability to mobilise voters without relying on opinion polls.
“The fear has been with the polls; those polls that run around have never mentioned my name, but I'm not campaigning from them. I'm campaigning within the population and the people of the Republic of Kenya,” he said.
Wajackoyah also dismissed suggestions that he needed to be part of emerging opposition alliances or joint political formations to strengthen his 2027 bid.
He said the Roots Party was a registered political party with its own presidential candidate and that he had not been approached to join the United Alternative Government, an umbrella bringing together several political leaders who have expressed interest in the 2027 presidential race.
“I have not been approached,” he said when asked whether he was considering working with the group.
Wajackoyah said his current focus was on grassroots mobilisation, adding that he had deliberately reduced his presence on Facebook as he concentrates on direct engagement with voters.
“I am campaigning, I'm on the ground and that's why I've even gone off Facebook,” he said.
The Roots Party leader also challenged other presidential hopefuls to engage him publicly, arguing that his presence alongside rival candidates would demonstrate the strength of his support.
“My opponents are very afraid to invite me in their congregations,” he said, challenging them to allow him to campaign alongside them.
Wajackoyah rose to national prominence during the 2022 election after running on the Roots Party ticket and finishing third with about 61,969 votes, according to results declared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
His 2027 declaration adds his name to a growing field of politicians positioning themselves for the presidency ahead of the election, with parties and political formations continuing to organise and build alliances.
