Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna is steadily emerging as President William Ruto's strongest political challenger ahead of the 2027 General Election, High Court Advocate Titus Makhanu has claimed, arguing that the ODM Secretary-General is attracting support across the country without relying on ethnic politics, money or the usual campaign tactics that have long shaped Kenya's elections.
Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Thursday, Makhanu said Sifuna has built a growing national following by drawing large crowds to his rallies without distributing cash, campaign T-shirts or branded clothing, a style of politics he described as uncommon in the country.
"Today, the person who is appealing to everybody across the board, without any tribal affiliations, without the factors that have always affected our politics, is Edwin Sifuna. This is a guy who goes around and makes calls for rallies. He does not print T-shirts. He does not give uniforms to people. He does not give money to people, but people turn up, and the rallies are so full. Those are organic crowds," he stated.
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Makhanu said those qualities place Sifuna in a strong position against President Ruto, adding that the Nairobi Senator does not carry the political baggage that often weighs down many leaders.
"He's the greatest threat to Ruto's presidency because of those factors. In addition to that, he's got no political or historical baggage associated with being in government, corruption, or a bad track record. If you put him together with President Ruto, Ruto will have virtually nothing to say against him."
His remarks come as the latest Infotrak survey places Sifuna among the leading opposition figures in the race for the presidency in 2027.
According to the poll, President William Ruto leads with 32 per cent support, followed by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka at 13 per cent. Sifuna and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i are tied at 12 per cent each, while Democracy for the Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua received 4 per cent.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino polled 3 per cent, former Chief Justice David Maraga garnered 2 per cent, while Martha Karua registered 1 per cent.
The survey was conducted between June 22 and June 26, 2026, through face-to-face interviews with 3,000 adult respondents drawn from all 47 counties. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.79 percentage points at a 95 per cent confidence level.
Makhanu also weighed in on other opposition leaders, saying some have strong credentials but have struggled to translate public admiration into nationwide political backing.
He pointed to former Chief Justice David Maraga as an example, saying his record in the Judiciary, including presiding over the historic annulment of the 2017 presidential election, had not generated the political momentum many expected.
"I fail to understand why he can't turn that goodwill that he has in terms of his performance track record into the realisation on the ground. He's a very good presidential candidate. He's a good man. I have interacted with him. I practised law before him. He was the first Chief Justice, I think, in Africa to nullify a presidential election."
He said Martha Karua faces a similar challenge in converting her reputation into broad national support, while Kalonzo Musyoka continues to contend with criticism linked to his long service in different governments.
Looking at Kenya's electoral history, Makhanu argued that voters have often rallied against the political establishment of the day rather than voting based on development records or campaign promises.
"I have been observing Kenyan political voting trends for quite some time, and I've come to understand that Kenyans always vote against something. They don't vote for something. In 2002 they voted against the Moi regime. In 2007 people were voting against what had happened after the 2005 referendum. In 2013 and 2017 Raila Odinga became the subject of the election, and in 2022 the narrative became hustlers versus dynasties."
He said that pattern is already becoming clear ahead of the 2027 General Election, arguing that President Ruto has now become the main target of the opposition after years of shaping political narratives against his rivals.
According to Makhanu, Ruto played a central role in creating political "boogeymen" since 2005, but now finds himself in that same position as opposition leaders rally around calls for him to serve only one term.
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