People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has urged Kenya’s opposition to shift focus from the contest over who should be recognised as the opposition leader and instead prioritise identifying a presidential candidate capable of uniting the country ahead of the 2027 General Election.

In a statement shared on her X account, Karua said the opposition’s priority should be finding a leader who can bring Kenyans together and offer an alternative to President William Ruto’s administration.

“There is a bigger question than who gets the title of opposition leader, it is who can bring Kenyans together and offer this country the leadership it deserves?” Karua said.

She argued that the process of selecting an opposition presidential candidate should involve Kenyans, noting that the ultimate goal is to secure their mandate and shape the country’s future.

“The process we undertake must ultimately involve the people, because it is their mandate we seek and their future that is at stake,” she said.

Karua further emphasised that while defeating President Ruto at the ballot remains a key objective for the opposition, the coalition must first identify a candidate who commands broad public confidence.

“Defeating President Ruto at the ballot is key but we must identify a leader around whom Kenyans can agree with in terms of integrity, competence and vision to deliver change and build the Kenya we want,” she stated.

Her remarks come amid growing debate within opposition circles over who should take the lead in the race to challenge Ruto in 2027.

Several opposition figures have emerged as potential contenders for the presidential ticket, including Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, former Chief Justice David Maraga and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.

The competition has increasingly centred on the question of who should lead the opposition into the next election.

However, Karua’s latest message seeks to redirect the conversation towards a broader question of electability, national unity and the qualities required in a candidate capable of building a formidable alternative to the Kenya Kwanza administration.

She maintained that the opposition should ultimately be guided by the interests and aspirations of Kenyans rather than individual ambitions for political titles.