By Anderson Ojwang
In every general election, and specifically presidential elections, there have often been joy riders hanging on the coattails of the main presidential candidates and political parties.
These fringe political parties operate within the confines of press conferences, seminars and political retreats and have developed a huge appetite for coalition formation.
Most of them hardly organise political rallies and depend on constant issuance of press statements and inviting the press to conferences to articulate their ideals.
The political joy riders often rush to make immense declarations in order to remain relevant in the emerging political environment.
Membership
The membership of the United Alternative Government includes Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Democratic Front Party Leader), Martha Karua (People’s Liberation Party Leader), Rigathi Gachagua (Former Deputy President/DCP Party Leader), Fred Matiang’i (Former Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Party Leader, Jubilee Party), Justin Muturi of the Democratic Party of Kenya (DP), Eugene Wamalwa of DAP-K, Peter Munya of the Party of National Unity (PNU), Lenny Kivuti (MBUS) and Omingo Magara of PDP.
In recent opinion polls by various pollsters, only Gachagua, Kalonzo and Matiang’i were rated, while the rest were clustered as “others” and attracted a marginal one per cent.
In a recent opinion poll by TIFA, President William Ruto was the most popular presidential candidate at 24 per cent, while Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna was the fastest-rising presidential candidate at 15 per cent, Matiang’i at 14 per cent, Kalonzo at 13 per cent and Gachagua at eight per cent.
Main players
Gachagua, Matiang’i and Kalonzo remain the cornerstone of the United Opposition, while Karua, Muturi, Omanga, Kivuti, Wamalwa and Munya remain peripheral players, even after some have already declared presidential interest.
This explains why the United Alternative Government has failed to kick-start the agenda of a single presidential candidate, and the recent retreat yielded nothing but the tired line of unity.
The retreat
The recent retreat by the opposition failed to deliver any meaningful agenda and only recycled the old statements.
The retreat failed to kick-start the opposition journey after Gachagua gave it a wide berth, save for Kalonzo, who gave it a face.
In a statement, they wrote:
“We, the principals of the United Alternative Government, meeting at Windsor Hotel in Kiambu County, have today taken a decisive step towards consolidating our unity and presenting the people of Kenya with a credible, democratic and transformative government.
“After extensive and candid consultations, we have unanimously agreed to execute a personal unity pledge and a coalition unity agreement, through which each principal commits individually and collectively to remain united, participate in a credible process of selecting our presidential candidate, and thereafter fully support and campaign for the candidate chosen to carry our common mandate into the 2027 General Election.
“This decision marks an important transition in our journey.
“The coalition unity agreement further binds us to a fair, transparent and credible presidential candidate selection process and to supporting the eventual nominee regardless of which one of us is selected.”
Faultline
But earlier, before the retreat, Gachagua had declared that it was time for the leaders to go to the people and consolidate before they could negotiate.
Rigathi had told what he termed fringe parties in Mt Kenya to fold up and join the DCP Party, saying they had failed to merit their existence in the emerging political space.
But the affected party leaders came out, guns blazing, over Gachagua’s statement, terming it insensitive and bullying.
Muturi, Munya and Levy Kivuti of MBUS, in a signed statement, said they were concerned over Gachagua’s statement that they should fold and join DCP.
“We, the undersigned Party Leaders and Senior Officials of duly registered political parties, have noted with concern the remarks attributed to the de facto DCP leader, Hon. Rigathi Gachagua, at a church event in Meru on Sunday, 26th July 2026, calling upon the Democratic Party (DP), PNU, Umoja na Maendeleo Party and BUS Party to dissolve and join DCP,” read the statement.
They said the unilateral pronouncements by one political leader purporting to direct, dissolve, merge or determine the future of another political party are not only legally untenable but are also deeply offensive to the thousands of members, delegates and officials who have invested their trust, time and resources in building those parties.
“Such decisions can only be made by the lawful organs of each respective party in accordance with its constitution and the Political Parties Act,” they wrote.
But DCP Organising Secretary Mithika Linturi told off the three party leaders to market their party instead of relying on boardroom deals to survive.
“In a democracy, political banter is inevitable. However, when an election result hurts you, do not deflect or become overly emotional. Instead, engage in some soul-searching,” he said.
No boardroom deals
Muturi said Gachagua has neither the legal nor the moral authority to prescribe the existence or future of other political parties.
“While we remain firmly committed to the broader objective of providing Kenya with alternative leadership and ending the failures of the Ruto administration, such unity must be anchored on mutual respect, consultation and voluntary cooperation, not coercion, political ultimatums or demands for surrender,” the statement read.
But Mithika told the three party leaders to market their parties instead of waiting on the wing to benefit from boardroom negotiations.
“Every political party in Kenya is free to market itself in whatever way it deems fit, provided it operates within the law. Take, for instance, PNU, DP, and the infamous tyreless MBASS Party.
“Please market your parties. Leave the boardrooms. Nobody has invited you to DCP. You are also free to persuade us to join your parties,” he said.
Show us your performance
Linturi said DCP, after its formation, has aggressively expanded and performed well in the by-elections, while the other three parties have dismally performed.
“For instance, in Emurua Dikirr, the PNU candidate garnered 80 votes, while the DCP Party candidate received 10,760 votes.
“In Ol Kalou, the PNU candidate garnered 28 votes against DCP’s 35,440 votes.
“More recently, in the Evurore and Muminji ward by-elections, MBASS and DP lost miserably on their home turf.
“So, how did the DCP Party become part and parcel of those losses, and why are you so annoyed, my brothers?
“Do not find fault with DCP’s popularity. Instead, try persuasion rather than intimidation. Maamuzi ni ya wananchi, ndugu zangu!
“You have suddenly become too clever,” he said.
But Munya, in a press statement, said nobody had appointed Gachagua as the Mt Kenya leader.
“We also reject any impression that Hon. Gachagua has been appointed or mandated to speak on behalf of all the people or political parties of the Mt. Kenya region.
“No such meeting has ever been convened, nor has any consensus been reached conferring such authority upon him,” read the statement.
Rush to name Kalonzo
Muturi had even moved ahead of the negotiations to declare his support for Kalonzo’s presidency.
“We don’t have a presidential candidate because we fear that when we name the person, we don’t know what William Ruto will do to him.”
Muturi declared his support for Kalonzo Musyoka to be the opposition presidential candidate.
“I want to say this. In Kamulu, before the Apostle Musili and the entire clergy, if it is not me, I am never worried.
“We must stop being cowards and tell Kenyans our presidential candidate. If it is not me, then it is Dr Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka as the flag bearer,” he declared.
But he said his declaration was a personal one and that other members of the outfit have personal choices.
Hard ball
The fringe parties may, for the first time, find themselves marginalised in the unfolding political dynamics and must go back to the drawing board.
