Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has announced that the United Opposition will be able to front its flagbearer by the first quarter of 2026.

While speaking during an interview with Kameme TV aired on Friday, December 26, 2025, the former vice president affirmed that before the beginning of April, the united opposition would have solved the puzzle of who would face President William Ruto in the 2027 general elections.

“I think that is what is going to unite us more. And of course, we are hoping before the year gets underway. I personally think within the first quarter, we should have agreed on who our flagbearer is, because, again, Kenyans want certainty to be able to plan and to make sure that William Ruto will not rig the coming election,” he said.

According to Kalonzo, the united opposition bigwigs will sit down and crack their heads in order to come up with the person who is going to be its head, with other positions being shared among the rest.

He stated that he has experience in coalition building, citing his past role in the Congo peace talks that saw the president and opposition leader sit down to agree on how the country would forge forward after disputed elections, similar to those that were witnessed in Kenya in 2007.

The chaos was later quelled after the late President Mwai Kibaki and the late Raila Odinga sat down to agree and formed the Grand Coalition Government.

He said he will use the expertise he has in coalition formation to bring opposition principals together and put forward the best person to face the president, who is also adamant about securing his second term.

He stated that coalition building has its own fair share of challenges, citing past elections where some principals disagreed with the coalition’s stand and opted to go it alone to the polls.

He gave an example of former minister Simeon Nyachae, who refused to join hands with Kibaki and went straight to the polls, which became his political Waterloo and resulted in a resounding defeat. According to Kalonzo, the same might be witnessed again, and if a member is not content with the position awarded to him, he is allowed to go it alone.

“Unakumbuka 2002 wakati wa Kibaki tosha? Wengi tuliunga Kibaki against jamaa mmoja anaitwa Nyanchae, ambaye alisema, ‘Sikubali mambo haya.’ Nyachae aliendelea akapata kura 400k, na Kibaki akapata kura nyingi zaidi,” he said.

But he affirmed that he will try everything possible for such a situation not to occur.

Kalonzo went ahead to affirm that he is ready for the task, and should the coalition settle on him, he will make sure that the united opposition holds together and will achieve its dream.

“Because I hope that I’m that flag bearer. If I am, I want to assure my colleagues in the united opposition that we will hold together.”

Battle for the 2027 flagbearer position

This comes at a time when each member of the United Opposition is interested in the top seat. This saw former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua resort back to his Mt Kenya backyard to seek blessings from kinsmen before embarking on countrywide rallies to look for political backing as he eyes the top seat.

All the united opposition principals have agreed that they are ready to relinquish their presidential ambitions and support one of their own.

Kalonzo’s take on the flag bearer position

Kalonzo Musyoka has in the past stated that he will not take a running mate position, saying that he has done so in three elective cycles and will not do the same in 2027 but will be on the ballot as a presidential candidate.

PLP party leader Martha Karua, while in the USA accompanying Gachagua, stated that she is ready to relinquish her presidential interests and support one of the united opposition party principals but will not take a running mate position, saying that 2022 was the last time.

Kalonzo Musyoka, during the sit-down, also hinted at rebranding the united opposition and calling it Komboa Kenya to be seen as the solver of the current tribulations bedevilling Kenyans.