Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa has announced that opposition leaders are preparing to begin the process of identifying a joint presidential candidate to challenge President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election.
Wamalwa said the opposition, which he described as an alternative government, was seeking to unite different political formations behind one candidate to avoid splitting votes in next year’s contest.
Speaking at Priesthood Fellowship Church in Kahawa West, Nairobi, the former Defence Cabinet Secretary said opposition leaders would reach out to members of the Linda Mwananchi movement, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Siaya Governor James Orengo, to consolidate their efforts.
“This week and next month, we are asking those others in Linda Mwananchi, including Sifuna and Orengo, to come together with us so that we get one candidate,” Wamalwa said.
He expressed optimism that the opposition would achieve political change in the next 10 months, urging Kenyans to pray for unity and the success of the candidate-selection process.
“But hope is the way. In the next 10 months, we will bring changes,” he said.
Wamalwa called on religious leaders and Kenyans to pray for a peaceful electoral process, warning against divisions and violence as political parties begin positioning themselves for the polls.
With fewer than 300 days remaining before the next General Election, he said the country needed a credible, peaceful and violence-free contest that would protect national cohesion and democratic principles.
The opposition’s efforts to settle on a single presidential candidate come amid ongoing consultations among leaders from different political parties and movements seeking to challenge Ruto’s re-election bid.
Wamalwa also turned his attention to voter registration, saying the opposition wanted the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to make the existing voters’ register available to political parties ahead of the planned mass registration exercise.
“Next month, IEBC, we are going for the final mass voter registration. We want the register by now, already registered members be availed to all of us,” he said.
He said access to the register would help political parties scrutinise voter records and raise concerns over possible irregularities, including the alleged registration of foreigners as voters.
The DAP-K leader also cited the rising cost of living as a source of public discontent, pointing to increases in fuel prices and the cost of basic commodities, including milk.
He said economic concerns would remain central to the opposition’s engagement with voters as leaders seek to build a common platform ahead of the 2027 elections.
