UPA backs Matiang’i as its candidate for the 2027 presidential race.

A key body within the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Party has officially endorsed former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as its presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.

Matiang’i, a prominent figure during retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, is reported to have quietly returned to Kenya a few days ago from the United States, where he has been based since 2022.

During a meeting of UPA’s National Executive Committee (NEC) in Nyamira on Wednesday, the party unanimously agreed to nominate Matiang’i for the 2027 presidential race.

UPA Secretary General Jacob Bagaka confirmed the decision, stating that the NEC had ratified the proposal to position Matiang’i as the party’s candidate.

“We are confident that Dr. Matiang’i’s popularity across the country is undeniable, and the party’s move to prepare for his candidacy has been widely embraced,” Bagaka said.

He further announced that the party would soon launch an aggressive campaign to expand its reach beyond the Gusii region, with Matiang’i seen as the ideal vehicle for the 2027 presidential bid.

“We are ready to hit the ground running and establish UPA as a formidable force,” Bagaka added.

Nyamira Governor Amoss Nyaribo, who leads UPA, also highlighted the party’s rapid growth as it prepares for the 2027 elections. “Our party is already national, and we plan to intensify our campaigns to make it even more vibrant through expanded membership,” Nyaribo remarked.

Nyaribo also shared that UPA is in talks with other Gusii-based parties to strengthen the region’s political influence ahead of the 2027 polls. “We are engaged in discussions with other parties from Gusii to create a powerful alliance that will propel Matiang’i to the presidency,” he said after the NEC meeting.

Matiang’i was one of the founding members of UPA in the lead-up to the 2022 elections, where he was initially seen as a potential successor to President Kenyatta. However, he ultimately supported Azimio La Umoja’s Raila Odinga, who lost to President William Ruto. After the 2022 elections, UPA secured one governorship, one parliamentary seat, and 18 county assembly seats across the country.

Though Matiang’i has not publicly declared his presidential ambitions, reports suggest that he is preparing to challenge President Ruto in 2027.