Heed Kenyans call to unite, Uhuru tells opposition leaders

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has again challenged opposition leaders to put aside their presidential ambitions and unite ahead of the 2027 General Election, warning that Kenyans have already made their wishes known.

Speaking during the burial service of the late Mama Beatrice Wambui Muturi at PCEA Nairobi West Church, Uhuru delivered a pointed message to opposition principals who have been seeking to consolidate their political strength against President William Ruto.

In a gathering that brought together DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, Uhuru said the opposition's biggest responsibility was to listen to the people and give them the unity they were demanding.

“A presidential seat can be occupied by one person at a time,” he said, in an apparent reference to the need for the opposition to settle on a single presidential candidate.

The former President, who has faced constant scrutiny and pushback from pro-government leaders, said his retirement had not disconnected him from the country's political conversations.

“Retiring does not mean that my ears don't listen. And when I listen, the people have already decided and only need one thing, the unity of these leaders,” he said.

He went further to urge the leaders to move beyond individual interests and work towards a common political arrangement that responds to the expectations of Kenyans.

“With the great respect due to you as our leaders, come together and fulfill what our citizens desire. Work together for a better, prosperous, and peaceful Kenya,” Uhuru said.

The burial also offered a rare public moment of reconciliation between Uhuru and Gachagua, whose political relationship had deteriorated during Gachagua’s time in government.

Gachagua recalled that he had worked with the Kenyatta family for nearly 17 years before political differences created divisions between them.

“We have been together with the Uhuru family for almost 17 years, but the devil came between us to divide us,” the DCP leader said.

He declared that the differences had been overcome and vowed that their renewed relationship would not be disrupted again.

“The devil was defeated and now we sit together as family. Let me categorically say this, no one can ever succeed to come between me and Uhuru ever again,” he said.

The public declaration was significant given the political divisions that followed the 2022 General Election, when Gachagua and Uhuru found themselves on opposite sides of the political contest.

On the other hand, the Wiper leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, criticised President Ruto concerning the use of force against demonstrators, questioning the implications of telling police officers to shoot young protesters in the legs.

“Sometimes these presidential decrees are serious. When someone says, when you see young people protesting, shoot them in the legs. That is still subsisting as a presidential fear,” Kalonzo said.

He argued that the government's handling of dissent had contributed to calls for a change of leadership, with Kenyans determined to exercise their democratic rights through the ballot.

“This is why Kenyans are so united and are saying one term. They want their right to own and broadcast their political opinion,” he said.

Kalonzo further warned that the coming election would provide an opportunity for young people and their parents to express their position on the government's record.

“On the 10th of August next year, the young people and even their parents are determined to say you want to shoot us in the legs, we will shoot you in the ballot,” he declared.

The remarks offered a glimpse into the opposition's emerging political messaging, with Uhuru calling for an agreement on leadership while Kalonzo sought to place the election within the wider debate on accountability and civil liberties.

For a burial ceremony convened to honour Mama Beatrice Wambui Muturi, the political undertones were difficult to miss. The former President's message was direct: the opposition cannot ignore the public demand for unity, and the presidency is not an office that can accommodate several candidates at once.