People's Renaissance Movement (PM) party leader Caleb Amisi has warned the United Opposition that leaving Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna off the 2027 presidential ballot could trigger voter apathy among a generation seeking political change.
Speaking during a television interview, Amisi said Sifuna's political appeal should not be viewed only in terms of his personal ambitions, arguing that he had become the face of a wider idea that voters were associating with change.
“Do not underestimate this thing of Mimi ni Sifuna. So much so that if you remove Sifuna on that ballot, most likely there’ll be voter apathy,” Amisi said.
He said the reaction would not necessarily be because of Sifuna as an individual, but because of what he represents to a section of voters dissatisfied with the existing political order.
“It is not about him as a person, it is an idea and he’s the one who is carrying it,” Amisi said.
Amisi said the opposition could therefore lose voters if it settles on a presidential candidate through negotiations among leaders rather than allowing supporters to participate in choosing the flagbearer.
He warned that a boardroom decision could leave dissenting groups unwilling to support the eventual candidate and ultimately benefit President William Ruto.
“You must have a presidential nomination of opposition. If you choose a flag bearer in a boardroom, Ruto will come back,” he said.
According to Amisi, supporters of different opposition leaders could reject an arrangement if their preferred candidate is left out of the final ticket.
He cited possible divisions involving leaders including former Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
“If Matiangi is not there, wacha ikae. Others will say, if Kalonzo is not there, wacha ikae,” he said.
Amisi argued that a competitive presidential nomination would give the opposition a clearer basis for rallying behind one candidate.
He referred to ODM’s 2007 presidential nomination at Kasarani, where several senior politicians participated before Raila Odinga emerged as the party’s candidate.
“We had Raila, we had William Ruto, we had Musalia, we had Najib Balala. They went to Kasarani and they selected Raila. It was not selected, Raila was not selected in a boardroom,” he said.
Amisi said a similar process could be used by the opposition in 2027 to select one candidate from among those seeking the presidency.
He also said PM would have a presidential candidate for the 2027 election and had already invited Sifuna to participate in its vetting process.
“Of course, PM is going to vet all of them. Including Sifuna. He will be invited. We have already invited him,” Amisi said.
He said Sifuna could choose to contest through another political vehicle, but PM would still field a presidential candidate.
“If he doesn’t want to be on the ballot, we will definitely have a presidential candidate,” he said.
Amisi said the party would assess available political parties and possible coalitions after October 30, when he said the window for new formations would have closed, before determining how to position its presidential candidate.
He said PM could either back Sifuna or select another candidate it considers capable of advancing its political agenda.
Amisi also said he remained supportive of Sifuna and the Linda MwanaInchi movement, despite not attending some of its meetings, saying he had concerns over people he believes were seeking to take control of the movement.
“The carrier of the idea is none other than Sifuna,” he said.
