How can a man seeking to unite the Opposition fail to unite
his own party? That is the question political insiders are asking after a key
party in the camp performed dismally. The results were so bad that they have
triggered a debate about a principal’s grip on the party he is expected to use
as a springboard for his 2027 presidential bid. The chatter in political
circles is that the party should have mounted a much stronger challenge if it
hopes to convince Kenyans it remains a serious political force. Some insiders
are even directing their criticism at those running the campaign, arguing that
politics is as much about perception as it is about numbers. To make matters
worse the outfit has failed to keep some of its own senior figures in line as
they threw their weight behind another candidate.
***
Has an MP who recently crossed from the Opposition to the
government side begun having second thoughts? Political observers have been
reading between the lines after the legislator suddenly found her voice,
publicly questioning the handling of state affairs by a powerful minister and
even a senior national leader. The vocal champion of the "TUTAM"
campaign has seemingly also noticeably toned down her
enthusiasm, choosing instead to focus on securing her own re-election.
Corridors has further learnt that the anticipated reward—a lucrative tender in
one of the country's major cities—may never have materialised, leaving the MP
feeling short-changed. With political winds shifting ahead of 2027, insiders
are now wondering whether she can retrace her steps.
***
Is a political leader getting too excited with the success
of other political players? And why can’t the political leader leverage his
past associations to forge a successful future? These are the questions some of
his insiders were heard asking. The said politico has not been fielding
candidates beyond his backyard. This has confined his outfit as a regional
vehicle. Yet, the man is said to get overly excited with others successes. A
poster widely circulated by the politico also appeared to ignore one of the
regions he could leverage on in his bid. Strategic blunder you may call it.
***
Could a viral social media post touting an Opposition
presidential ticket have been more than just political banter? Corridors hears
that security mandarins have taken a keen interest in the reactions it
generated, with the post said to have provided a useful gauge of public
sentiment around three of the coalition's leading figures. Rather than the
proposed ticket itself, insiders say the focus was on measuring who attracted
the strongest backing, who triggered resistance and which names resonated across
different political constituencies. Such informal "trial balloons"
are said to have become a useful barometer of the shifting political mood as
the race to 2027 gathers pace.
