A growing number of Kenyans opposed to President William Ruto's bid for a second term believe former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua would have a greater impact in the 2027 General Election by helping unite the opposition behind one candidate instead of seeking the presidency himself, a new survey has found.
The poll by Trends and Insights for Africa (Tifa) shows that 33 per cent of respondents who do not support President Ruto's re-election said the strongest strategy would be for Gachagua to be cleared to contest the election but choose to back another opposition candidate instead.
Another 29 per cent said Gachagua should throw his weight behind a rival if he is blocked from running in 2027 following the outcome of the court case challenging his impeachment.
The findings indicate that many opposition supporters see a united coalition as the best path to mounting a strong challenge against President Ruto rather than having several candidates compete for the presidency.
Only 14 per cent of those interviewed said Gachagua should contest the presidency himself and become the opposition's flag bearer if he is allowed to run.
At the same time, five per cent of respondents said President William Ruto cannot be defeated regardless of the circumstances, while 19 per cent said they were unsure about the most effective strategy the opposition should adopt ahead of the next election.
According to Tifa, the mixed views reflect the uncertainty surrounding Gachagua's legal challenge against his impeachment, with the outcome expected to determine whether he will be eligible to contest the presidency in 2027.
The survey was conducted through face-to-face household interviews involving a nationally representative sample of 2,048 respondents drawn from nine regions: Central Rift, Coast, Lower Eastern, Mt Kenya, Nairobi, Northern, Nyanza, South Rift and Western.
Most of the interviews were conducted in Kiswahili and English. Tifa said the survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.18 percentage points, although the margin is higher for regional samples.
The findings come at a time when opposition leaders are exploring possible alliances ahead of the 2027 General Election, with talks on coalition building expected to shape the contest against President Ruto.
The survey offers an early picture of opinion among voters opposed to the President's re-election, with many favouring a single opposition candidate supported by key political figures instead of a divided race.