Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has warned opposition leaders that delaying the selection of a 2027 presidential candidate could weaken their chances of building enough national momentum ahead of the General Election.
Speaking during a media interview on Sunday, October 4, 2026, Wanga said the opposition would face a difficult task popularising a candidate across the country if it waits until early 2027 to settle on its flagbearer.
According to the governor, political campaigns require time, networks and sustained engagement with voters, warning that late decisions could leave opposition leaders struggling to build nationwide support.
Wanga said the current political environment requires early preparation, pointing to the continued activities of President William Ruto across different parts of the country.
She added that opposition leaders could struggle to match that level of nationwide engagement if they delay choosing their presidential candidate.
“By the time these guys get a candidate and go with this candidate to the places the president is, you know, the president is working very hard. He is putting in work,” she said.
Wanga says Raila’s political brand gave opposition advantage
Wanga argued that the opposition previously benefited from the strong political brand and extensive networks of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, commonly referred to by supporters as Baba.
She said Raila’s long-established national presence meant that the opposition did not face the same challenge of introducing a candidate to voters.
“Because Baba was a brand. And even though people kept on saying, oh, we’re going to choose a candidate, there was almost always consensus in the back of the mind of the people that Baba is going to be the candidate,” Wanga said.
She noted that Raila’s political networks across the country gave him an advantage that current opposition leaders would need time to build.
“Even if that consensus was reached a few months to election, it was okay because you had someone who had his networks everywhere,” she said.
Wanga said current opposition figures, including Kalonzo Musyoka and others, do not yet have the same level of national recognition and political reach that Raila had.
“None of these people, none, not Kalonzo, not anybody of them has the kind of reach and influence and household name like Baba had, and like the president has,” she said.
Her remarks come as opposition parties continue negotiations over possible alliances and the search for a candidate who can lead a united opposition ticket in the 2027 presidential race.
Wanga warned that building a national campaign requires time, saying delayed decisions could make the opposition’s task more difficult.
“If they get a candidate in January, in February, by the time they sell this candidate to this country, it’ll be too late,” she said.
She concluded that defeating the broad-based team would be a major challenge unless the opposition resolves its leadership question early.
“It’s going to be a very tall order for them to beat the broad-based team,” Wanga said.
