The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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A new Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA) survey indicates that many Kenyans opposed to President William Ruto’s re-election believe former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua would have a greater impact by supporting a united opposition candidate rather than seeking the presidency himself.
According to the poll, 33 percent of respondents who oppose President Ruto’s second-term bid said the best strategy would be for Gachagua to be allowed to contest but choose instead to endorse a single opposition flagbearer.
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Another 29 percent said Gachagua should support another opposition candidate if the courts uphold his impeachment, making him ineligible to run in the 2027 General Election.
Only 14 percent of those surveyed said Gachagua should contest the presidency himself if cleared to vie.
The survey also found that 5 percent of respondents believe President Ruto cannot be defeated under any circumstances, while 19 percent said they were undecided on the most effective strategy for the opposition.
The findings suggest that many opposition supporters favour a united coalition over multiple presidential candidates, with greater preference for consensus-building than an individual bid by Gachagua.
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TIFA noted that opinions remain influenced by uncertainty surrounding Gachagua’s ongoing court challenge against his impeachment, which could determine whether he is eligible to contest the next presidential election.
The survey was conducted through face-to-face household interviews with 2,048 respondents drawn from nine regions: Central Rift, Coast, Lower Eastern, Mt. Kenya, Nairobi, Northern, Nyanza, South Rift and Western.
Interviews were carried out mainly in Kiswahili and English, with TIFA stating that the survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.18 percentage points, although regional samples carry a higher margin of error.
The findings come as opposition leaders continue exploring possible alliances ahead of the 2027 General Election, with efforts underway to build a united front against President Ruto.
According to TIFA, the survey offers an early indication that many opposition supporters prefer a single presidential candidate backed by key political leaders rather than a divided opposition contest.
