Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has intensified his push for opposition unity ahead of the 2027 General Election after holding talks with former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, with the two leaders reflecting on the political strategy that brought the late President Mwai Kibaki to power in 2002.
The meeting, held at Gachagua's Wamunyoro residence, centred on the formation and success of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), which brought together opposition leaders to challenge the then ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU).
Gachagua said the engagement provided an opportunity to draw lessons from Ngilu's experience in building political alliances, particularly the negotiations and strategies that enabled opposition parties to rally behind one presidential candidate.
He credited Ngilu, alongside Kibaki and the late Kijana Wamalwa, with playing a critical role in developing the coalition that ended KANU's 39-year rule.
"Hon. Ngilu was the architect of the NARC dream and, together with the late President Mwai Kibaki and Kijana Wamalwa, crafted a winning strategy that brought the KANU era to an end," Gachagua stated.
The former Deputy President indicated that their discussions went beyond historical political alliances, touching on the country's current leadership challenges and the need to address corruption and impunity.
He expressed confidence that the lessons from the NARC experience could help shape a new political arrangement capable of challenging the government in the next election.
Of particular significance was Gachagua's declaration that the opposition should settle on a single presidential candidate rather than enter the 2027 contest divided among multiple contenders.
"We have a 2002 moment, and our promise is that we shall identify one presidential candidate who will win by a landslide," he said.
His remarks signal an attempt to draw parallels between the political circumstances preceding the 2002 election and the current efforts to consolidate opposition forces against President William Ruto's administration.
In 2002, opposition parties overcame their differences and united behind Kibaki, defeating KANU's Uhuru Kenyatta in a landmark election that ended the party's long-standing grip on power.