Stop being cowards, Muturi confronts opposition leaders

United Opposition leaders during a church service at the ATG-Kangundo Altar along Kangundo road on June 5, 2026. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

Former Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has publicly challenged his opposition colleagues to stop what he termed as the delay in selecting a joint presidential flagbearer for next year’s General Election.

Speaking on Sunday during a church function in Kamulu, Nairobi, Muturi warned that prolonged indecision could hand President William Ruto a political advantage.

He dismissed the strategy of keeping the coalition’s preferred candidate a “close to the chest” affair, arguing that there was nothing left for the opposition to fear. “Stop being cowards. Stop misleading Kenyans that at every meeting you will tell them later,” he roared, declaring that “If it is not me, I will support Kalonzo Musyoka.”

His remarks come amid growing anxiety within the opposition alliance, which brings together Kalonzo, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Martha Karua, Fred Matiang’i, Eugene Wamalwa and Muturi himself, but is yet to settle on a single candidate despite months of consultations.

His remarks pile fresh pressure on opposition leaders, who had earlier promised to unveil their joint presidential candidate by the end of March this year but have yet to do so.

In December last year, Kalonzo assured Kenyans that the opposition would settle the matter within the first quarter of 2026.

“By the first quarter of 2026, the name of our presidential candidate will be made known to Kenyans. I think it’s only fair that we work in that direction. I will personally do everything possible to hold our team together,” Kalonzo said.

The deadline has since lapsed, fuelling speculation about competing ambitions within the alliance and whether consensus can be reached. On Sunday, Kalonzo continued to urge for calm within the opposition, asking Kenyans to “give us time” to name the candidate.

However, Muturi appeared to take issue with Kalonzo’s sentiments, arguing that the opposition should not repeat what he termed “the politics of secrecy.”

The Democratic Party leader also dismissed fears that an early declaration of the coalition’s presidential candidate would expose the nominee to political attacks from the Kenya Kwanza administration.

“What exactly can President William Ruto do to us? Why are we being cowards?” He asked.

The former Attorney General further claimed that delaying major political decisions only gave Ruto’s allies room to outmanoeuvre the opposition. He warned that every strategy opposition attempted to develop risked being overtaken.

“Anything we try to do will be hijacked by Kasongo and his team. We must move now,” he said, rejecting suggestions that the coalition still had ample time before the next election. Muturi regretted that the country was entering the election season without a clear opposition standard-bearer.

“Next month we begin the election year, yet we still don’t have a candidate.”

He also dismissed the notion that the coalition still held a political masterstroke in reserve.

“Let’s stop saying we have a card we are holding close to our chest. Which chest?” He posed.

Muturi’s endorsement of Kalonzo came even as he maintained that he would also be willing to seek the coalition’s nomination. “If it is not me, I will support Kalonzo Musyoka,” he said, adding that what mattered most was presenting a united front against Ruto in 2027.