Former ruling party Jubilee has endorsed ex-Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Dr Fred Matiang’i as the party’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 elections.

Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni on Thursday, February 20, 2025 revealed that the decision was arrived at following a consultation with party’s representatives from across the country.

Kioni however clarified that the endorsement as a purely in-party decision ahead of further talks with Azimio coalition partners to come up with a final presidential candidate in 2027.

He said that Matiang’i will now officially represent the interests of the party at the negotiating table among other presidential candidates from the opposition parties.

“Matiang’i will be engaging with other presidential candidates including Raila Odinga (ODM), Martha Karua (Narc Kenya), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Party), Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K), Jimmi Wanjigi (Safina), Senator Okiya Omtata (National Reconstruction Alliance) and George Wajackoyah (Roots Party).

The endorsement comes a day after Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) counterpart Eugene Wamalwa met with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

 The meeting came amid growing speculations on a possible political coalition between the trio ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Gachagua, had on January 27, 2025, joined the two opposition leaders at the launch of new headquarters for the DAP-K party in  what was said to be a potential realignment by the opposition leaders ahead of the 2027 polls.

Last year in August, media reports showed the former powerful CS in Uhuru Kenyatta’s government had contracted a Canadian PR firm Dickens and Madson to amplify his campaign as he seeks to be Kenya’s sixth president.

The firm was to assist in devising and executing policies that will lift Matiang’i’s profile to the stature of a presidential candidate after maintaining a low profile since exiting office in 2022.