Ruto’s 2027 win guaranteed if opposition fields candidate from Mt Kenya – Kioni warns

Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has cautioned opposition leaders against fielding a presidential candidate from the Mt Kenya region ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that such a move could hand President William Ruto a clear path to victory.

Speaking during an interview on a local radio station on Monday, September 29, 2025, Kioni said, “If a person vies from the Mt Kenya region, that is playing into Ruto’s hands directly. That is one statement that is making Gachagua very uncomfortable. And I’m not opposed to his running.”

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He explained that presenting a candidate from the region could divide voters who would otherwise back a single opposition contender, reducing the coalition’s chances of success.

Lessons from the past

Kioni recalled the 2022 elections, where the opposition coalition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya selected a flagbearer without broad consultation.

“Repeating that mistake will only please Ruto in State House,” he said, referring to the risks of leaving crucial decisions to a small group of leaders instead of engaging broader party structures and the electorate.

He also warned of the long-term impact of splitting key voting blocs.

“Once you are able to split that block, which is what Ruto is doing every single day, he’s trying to split the block, then you’ve given him an expressway for another 15-year term there,” Kioni said, emphasising the strategic disadvantage of disunity.

Unity over ego

Kioni underscored the need for opposition leaders to put personal ambitions aside.

“We could also have offered ourselves, but your ego, your e-grid to power or self-preservation must be put aside and help the country move forward. We want more Ruto out. Let us now focus on some of those hard facts,” he said, stressing that the goal should be a united front rather than individual advancement.

He clarified that his warning was not about denying anyone their rights. “If we make a mistake, and this does not mean that people don’t have their rights. This is their own right. If you want to vie, you vie,” Kioni said.