Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has said he will “very soon” make public the party he will use to contest the presidency in 2027.

Speaking during an exclusive interview on TV47 and Radio 47 on Wednesday night, Matiang’i denied being a member of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party.

“Are you vying in Jubilee Party?” asked anchor Dabarr Inea. “When have I ever been a member of Jubilee?” Matiang’i answered.

The former CS said he has been approached by many political parties, including Uhuru’s Jubilee and Peter Munya’s PNU, but he has not made any decision on that yet.

“My orientation to public service is essentially linked to Jubilee. If someone asked me about my political affiliations they would obviously lean to Jubilee because I worked under the Jubilee government,” he said.

According to Matiang’i, discussions are going on with like-minded people with a view to creating a framework of partnership and contesting under a coalition. He said there is no reason for people to be in a hurry over which party he will use to vie for the presidency.

“I do not know why people are being impatient,” Matiang’i wondered.

Asked about his relationship with Jubilee and the newly launched Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) of Rigathi Gachagua, who is also his opposition counterpart, Matiang’i said, “I will cross the bridge when I get there.”

He said he is ready to face the citizens, ask them for support and accept any consequences.

On political parties, Matiang’i said, Kenya is one country with many parties but also one of the least democratic. He asked Kenyans not to vote for leaders based on political parties but on what they are able to do.

“You can come here with a party called Jerusalem, but if you are a thief and a despicable character, Jerusalem Party doesn’t make you a holy fellow,” he said.

Matiang’i said he values conversations with leaders more than party politics.

The ex-CS is also a member of the united opposition consisting of DCP Party Leader Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper Democratic Front’s Kalonzo Musyoka and People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua, who have all expressed their intention of vying for the presidency in 2027.

The question is, who is better suited among the opposition political heavyweights to carry the opposition’s flag in the next general elections? Will the opposition stand the tide and stay united?