Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi has issued a direct challenge to opposition leaders, urging them to abandon press briefings and follow the lead of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i by engaging the grassroots if they are serious about unseating President William Ruto in the 2027 general election.
In a pointed message shared on social media on Friday, May 2, 2025, Amisi referenced Matiang’i’s ongoing tour of Kisii and Nyamira counties – events that have drawn thousands and signalled the former minister’s re-entry into active politics with his sights set on the presidency.
“To our friends @skmusyoka, @MarthaKarua, @EugeneLWamalwa, @HonJBMuturi, look at #Matiangi rallies in Kisii and Nyamira. That electric reception must be seen in your respective strongholds. It is what created Narc wave that sent Moi’s 24-year system home. Not press conferences and photo sessions,” Amisi wrote on X.
The remarks were a thinly veiled rebuke to key opposition figures – Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) head Eugene Wamalwa, People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua, and former Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi – who have frequently appeared together in joint statements and briefings critiquing the Ruto administration but have made few recent forays into grassroots mobilisation.
Amisi’s comments came as Matiang’i received a hero’s welcome in Kisii town on Friday, May 2, 2025, where crowds lined the streets to greet him in a tour viewed as both a homecoming and a potential launchpad for a presidential bid.
The former Cabinet Secretary is scheduled to visit both Kisii and Nyamira county governors and hold a series of meet-the-people engagements.
“This is more than a regional rally. Matiang’i Kisii rallies will determine a lot on the 2027 lineup. Kenya needs a Renaissance!” Amisi posted separately.
The imagery of Matiang’i’s visit – cheering crowds, a buzzing motorcade, and an energised support base – contrasted starkly with the more formal press conference culture that has characterised much of the opposition’s activity in Nairobi in recent months.
Political observers have noted the symbolism.
The rallies have drawn not only voters but also local political figures, including Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka of ODM, UDA-nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba, and former MPs Clive Ombane Gisairo and Richard Tong’i, signalling a broader coalition forming around Matiang’i.
The former CS’s decision to actively tour the Gusii region, his political backyard, has stirred speculation about his readiness to contest in 2027 and challenge Ruto’s increasingly firm grip on the political landscape.
While Kalonzo and Karua remain key figures in the opposition alliance, internal calls like Amisi’s highlight growing tension over strategy and momentum as the country inches closer to its next general election.
For now, all eyes are on Matiang’i – not just for his political ambitions but for what his rallies may portend for Kenya’s shifting electoral dynamics.
Martin Oduor
The alchemist of literary works – a master wordsmith with a proven record of transforming the raw materials of language into a rich tapestry of emotion, thought, and imagination.
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