Onyonka to Gachagua: Dont kill the United Opposition’s dream
By Mabonga Makhanu, February 6, 2026Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has urged former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua not to kill the United Opposition dream.
While speaking during the funeral of the mother of former Murang’a gubernatorial candidate Jamleck Kamau in Kigumo, on Friday, February 6, 2026, he pleaded with the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader not to kill the aspirations of the United Opposition.
He continued to stress the essence of unity among the opposition principals, urging them to work together.
According to him, if they fail to unite, they will be “hanged separately” by their main contender in 2027, President William Ruto, due to their lack of unity.
He went ahead to state that, as members of the United Opposition, their role is to follow in the footsteps of their party leaders and principals.
“Please, Mheshimiwa Gachagua, don’t kill our dream. Keep yourselves together. Carry Matiang’i with you, carry Martha Karua with you, and carry Justin Muturi with you. We are waiting for you to tell us where we are going, because if all of you do not do that, you will be hanged separately by William Ruto as we watch from outside the tent,” Onyonka stated.
United Opposition
This comes at a time when the United Opposition, which has now been rebranded as the United Alternative Government by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, is putting its heads together to strategise for the 2027 general election.
In the recent past, there have been evident internal conflicts within the opposition, where Gachagua appeared to be in wrangles with former Interior Cabinet Secretary and Jubilee Party leader Fred Matiang’i.
However, tensions seem to have eased, and the two now appear to be working together.
The United Opposition is set to hold a one- or two-day retreat starting on February 12, 2026, in order to deliberate on the coalition’s name and agree on the matrix they will use to choose their presidential flagbearer.
Despite the party principals each harbouring individual presidential ambitions and having been cleared and endorsed by their respective parties, with the latest being Democratic Party (DP) leader Justin Muturi who was cleared by his party to contest for the presidency.
They have all agreed that when the right time comes, they will shelve their individual aspirations and rally behind the chosen presidential candidate to face President William Ruto.
United Opposition’s flagbearer
Additionally, Democratic Action Party–Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa stated that they will only reveal their presidential candidate six months before the 2027 general election, contradicting Kalonzo’s proposal that the coalition’s flagbearer be named in the first quarter of 2026.
Gachagua also differed with Kalonzo, arguing that early naming of a candidate would expose them to intimidation by state machinery.
Onyonka’s political moves
Richard Onyonka, a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), has also changed his stance and declared allegiance to Fred Matiang’i.
He has vowed to support him and is ready to ditch ODM and vie on a Jubilee Party ticket after Matiang’i was recently endorsed as the party leader and presidential flagbearer.