Nairobi, September 29- Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni has cautioned that pushing for a presidential candidate from the Mount Kenya region could split the vote and make it easier for President William Ruto to secure a second term in 2027.
Speaking on Spice FM on Monday, September 29, 2025, Kioni dismissed the fixation on flag bearer discussions, saying the opposition should instead focus on addressing the grievances that pushed Kenyans especially Gen Z to the streets.
He criticized divisions within the opposition, pointing to the sidelining of former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and questioning why potential allies are being publicly insulted.
“If unity is the goal, why attack us? They once called Uhuru Kenyatta a red wheelbarrow. Do you insult someone you hope to work with? Now they’re suddenly the ones tired of wheelbarrows,” he remarked.
Kioni argued that the opposition’s strength lies not in personalities but in tackling Kenyans’ real issues and resisting what he termed government intimidation.
He also accused ODM of undermining the Azimio coalition, claiming Jubilee is the only party formally recognized by the Registrar of Political Parties and the Speaker of the National Assembly.
“In this so-called united opposition, some want a handful of leaders to handpick the flag bearer. I disagree. Even in the last Azimio process, they chose for themselves without consulting Kenyans, and repeating that mistake will only hand Ruto an easy ride back to State House,” Kioni warned.
