Democracy for the Citizens (DCP) Party deputy leader Cleophas Malala has defended the unity of the United Alternative Government, insisting that internal suspicions or claimed infiltration will not derail their political momentum ahead of the next general election.

Speaking in an interview on a local TV station on Thursday, May 7, 2026, Malala maintained that the coalition remains solid and focused on its mission to end the current administration’s hold on power.

“The United Opposition is very united. Whether we have moles or not, this government is a one-term government. What Gachagua was insinuating in Murung’a is that people should be cautious about the statements they make,” he said.

His remarks came amid growing tensions within opposition ranks, where leaders are increasingly trading accusations over loyalty and strategy.

On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, during a political rally in Kandara held to welcome area MP Chege Njuguna to the DCP party, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua escalated concerns over alleged infiltration within opposition formations, warning that President William Ruto’s allies may already have planted operatives inside rival parties.

“Mimi nataka niambie principals ya United opposition, mkuwe very careful, katika vyama vyenu, kwa sababu ndani ya vyama vyenu Kasongo ameeka watu huko ndani,” Gachagua said.

He further warned that some leaders may unknowingly be advancing agendas set outside their political formations, cautioning that appearances of unity could be misleading.

According to Gachagua, certain public statements made by unnamed leaders on radio stations were already sowing division among opposition principals.

He cited remarks questioning what would happen if he, Gachagua, became the presidential candidate, and where leaders such as former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka would fit in the political structure.

He described such narratives as deliberate attempts to fracture cohesion within the opposition alliance.

Despite the rising tension, Gachagua emphasised that the selection of a presidential flagbearer would not be imposed by any individual, insisting that the decision must be made through consensus among all principals in the United Opposition.

He also distanced himself from personal ambition, noting that he is not fixated on becoming the coalition’s presidential candidate. Instead, he said any leader within the alliance could be chosen if supported collectively.

The opposition, however, remains divided on the method of selecting its flagbearer. Kalonzo has been advocating for boardroom negotiations and consensus-building among principals, while Fred Matiang’i has pushed for a more structured and competitive scientific opinion poll system.

Under Matiang’i’s proposal, the candidate who secures the highest number of votes in the poll would become the flagbearer, the runner-up would assume the deputy position, and the third-placed candidate would take a proposed prime ministerial role.