He is the one who reached out – Kioni on why Jubilee chose Matiang’i as 2027 flagbearer

Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has revealed the reasoning behind the party’s decision to back former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as its presidential candidate for the 2027 General Election.

Matiang’i took the initiative

In a recent interview, Kioni disclosed that Matiang’i personally expressed interest in running for president, prompting the party to begin campaign preparations. “Matiang’i just expressed a desire, and it is the work of the party to market its candidate across the country,” Kioni stated.

He emphasized the importance of having a clear presidential candidate for a major party like Jubilee: “As a party the size of Jubilee, it’s not in our best interest to operate without a presidential candidate. When there are individuals willing to offer leadership, they should be given a fair chance.”

Public announcement coming soon

Kioni confirmed that Matiang’i would soon address the nation about his political ambitions: “Matiang’i is the one who reached out, and he will be speaking about it himself in the coming days. We won’t have to wait too long. When he feels the time is right, he will make his position clear.”

Not an automatic opposition ticket

While endorsing Matiang’i as Jubilee’s flagbearer, Kioni clarified this doesn’t automatically make him the opposition coalition’s candidate. He stressed the need for broader opposition unity against the current government: “We need to form a coalition with other opposition figures to take on the mess created by the UDA-ODM government.”

Why Matiang’i?

Kioni highlighted Matiang’i’s qualifications:

• Proven track record in government
• Ability to implement meaningful reforms
• Expertise to revamp Kenya’s education sector
• Potential to improve national healthcare through NHIF reforms

“Fred Matiang’i is our presidential candidate, he is the only presidential candidate that can issue orders to bring back Huduma Namba, go back to NHIF and fund universities,” Kioni stated.