The Azimio Coalition of former president Uhuru Kenyatta has named Kalonzo Musyoka as its party leader, positioning the 72-year-old ex-vice president as the frontrunner in the 2027 presidential race.
In a meeting on Monday, February 2, chaired by Kenyatta who is also the Chairman of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Council of Elders Kalonzo is now emerging as the likely opposition candidate to take on the incumbent President William Ruto in next year’s polls.
This marks yet another twist in the unfolding scenarios considering that Kenyatta has until now been seen as backing former interior cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i under the Jubilee Party.
Incidentally, Jubilee is a constituent party of the Azimio Coalition. The latest move to endorse Kalonzo as Azimio Coalition Party leader ranks him higher than Matiang’i. It also effectively gives Kenyatta significant influence in shaping the opposition’s campaign for the presidency. Kenyatta is also the party leader of Jubilee.
Kalonzo enjoys the support of other key opposition leaders notably Rigathi Gachagua, who is reportedly seeking to reconcile with Kenyatta after the two fell out acrimoniously in the 2022 elections.