Opposition bigwigs have stepped up nationwide political engagements as they pile pressure on President William Ruto from all fronts.
The renewed mobilisation has seen opposition chiefs spread their campaigns across different regions, with rallies and grassroots tours expected to intensify in the coming weeks.
The back-to-back engagements point to an opposition increasingly focused on building a nationwide network rather than relying solely on traditional strongholds.
The Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna-led Linda Mwananchi movement has, for instance, announced a major rally in Meru on August 30, extending its push to new horizons.
The ODM breakaway team will be hosted by former Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
Should unity prevail, the strategy could prove lethal against Ruto, as the opposition is firing from all directions.
Recent polls have suggested that Ruto is just about nine percentage points ahead of his closest challenger, although combined opposition support gives it a clear lead.
A Tifa poll released in July showed that if an election were held then, Ruto would get 24 per cent of support.
Sifuna came second at 15 per cent, followed by Fred Matiang'i at 14 per cent and then Kalonzo Musyoka at 13 per cent.
Bumula MP Jack Wamboka, a member of the Linda Mwananchi team, said they are keen on reaching more constituencies as they seek to consolidate a nationwide support base.
“People should go to the field and work,” he said.
Wamboka said the movement does not have the luxury of slowing down given the limited time before the 2027 polls.
“We were in Western for three days and then on the fourth day, our flagbearer went to Kitui,” he said.
“He came back to Nairobi and the following day, we had a meeting.”
Before the Meru offensive, Wamboka said the Linda Mwananchi team will hold a series of meetings in Nairobi, targeting as many constituencies as possible.
The Meru rally comes weeks after the movement braved chaos in Homa Bay county, where Sifuna and his allies encountered disruptions during their tour.
The Linda Mwananchi movement has toured 16 counties since launching its nationwide rally campaign in February.
The movement has also held rallies in Mombasa, Nakuru, Vihiga, Kisumu and Machakos before moving to Kiambu and Kisii.
In July, the campaign reached Taita Taveta, Trans Nzoia and Bungoma. The latest rally was held in Homa Bay on August 16.
The campaign began in Busia on February 8, followed by Kajiado, Kakamega, Narok and Nairobi.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has, meanwhile, pitched tent in Taita Taveta and the wider Coast region as he expands his political engagements.
Kalonzo is also expected to make his first major political offensive in Nyanza at the end of the month, a move likely to attract keen attention given the region's historical association with the opposition.
Kalonzo's tour is part of efforts to expand his political influence ahead of the election.
Speaking to the Star, Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo confirmed plans to tour Nyanza and sell the Wiper agenda to the ODM traditional base.
“He [Kalonzo] is going there [Nyanza] but we want a better plan. We will start with Rarieda, Siaya county,” Maanzo told the Star on the phone.
According to Maanzo, the former Vice President will also traverse Isiolo and Marsabit counties after Taita Taveta before going to Nyanza.
“We will first go to Isiolo and Marsabit counties, they are next in line, before we head to Nyanza,” Maanzo said.
This even as Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma cautioned the Wiper leader against using language that could inflame political tensions.
In a social media post, Kaluma welcomed the former Vice President to the region but urged him to approach the tour with restraint.
“VP Kalonzo, you’re welcome to tour Nyanza region,” Kaluma said, adding the region had benefited from what he described as President Ruto’s inclusion agenda.
Kaluma claimed Ruto had “saved Nyanza from discrimination and marginalisation” through greater inclusion in public service and equitable development, saying residents therefore supported the President’s re-election.
He also cautioned Kalonzo against using what he termed “spiteful and offensive words” such as “ukombozi”, arguing that such rhetoric could provoke negative public sentiment and emotions during his tour.
Kaluma further warned Kalonzo against appearing alongside Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Siaya Senator James Orengo, whom he accused of responsibility for the violence witnessed in Homa Bay on August 16.
DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua has similarly stepped up his grassroots activities.
The former Deputy President has been engaging communities in Mt Kenya East and on Monday began a three-day tour of Nyeri county, underscoring his efforts to consolidate his influence in the vote-rich Mt Kenya region.
Jubilee deputy party leader Matiang'i has also joined the nationwide mobilisation.
This week, Matiang'i traversed Kiambu county after completing a three-day tour of Nyanza, where he visited Kuria East and Kuria West.
The increased activities also came at a time when Gachagua has urged the principals of the united opposition to take their campaigns to the grassroots and mobilise voters, arguing that politics is ultimately a game of numbers.
He has cautioned leaders against relying solely on online declarations or political deals without establishing a strong support base on the ground.
“Leaders must sell their vision directly to Kenyans rather than rely on boardroom deals or social media posts,” Gachagua said recently.
For Ruto, the emerging pattern presents a political challenge as he seeks a second and final term in 2027.
The President will have to contend with opposition leaders attempting to establish early footholds in regions that could determine the outcome of the presidential race.
The tours are also significant because they are taking place well ahead of the election, giving the opposition time to test its messaging, identify local allies and assess the strength of competing political formations.
More importantly, the engagements could increase pressure on opposition leaders to resolve their own differences and forge a credible coalition capable of confronting Ruto.
For Ruto, fragmentation would provide political breathing space.
A coordinated opposition, however, could significantly alter the 2027 contest by pooling regional support and presenting a stronger alternative to his re-election bid.
Recent opinion polls by both Infotrak and Tifa have indicated that Ruto will face a serious challenge should the opposition unite behind one candidate.
Maanzo said the opposition will not repeat the mistakes of the past, when they parted ways months before elections, giving the incumbent leeway.
“The opposition unity is led by the people themselves. It is no longer by leaders, it is the people leading the charge. Kenyans will deal with anyone who bolts out,” Maanzo said.
