Matiang'i beats Kalonzo to emerge as top Ruto challenger for 2027, poll shows
Politics
By
David Njaaga
| Dec 28, 2025
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has emerged as President William Ruto's main challenger in the 2027 presidential race, polling 13 per cent, a new Infotrak survey shows.
The poll conducted on Friday, December 19 and Saturday, December 20, places Matiang'i ahead of established opposition figures, with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka at 12 per cent, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino at 7 per cent and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at 5 per cent.
Ruto leads the field at 28 per cent, but 25 per cent of voters remain undecided.
Matiang'i served as Interior CS under former President Uhuru Kenyatta from 2018 to 2022 and left government when Ruto took office.
He declared his presidential bid in May and was endorsed by the Jubilee Party as its candidate in October.
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The survey shows Matiang'i performs well in Central Kenya, polling 17 per cent in the region compared to Ruto's 14 per cent.
He also registers 11 per cent in Nairobi and 15 per cent in Western Kenya.
The survey shows Ruto's support has grown from 19 per cent in September 2024 to 28 per cent now, while Kalonzo has dropped from 13 per cent to 12 per cent over the same period.
The poll shows cost of living matters to 46 per cent of voters, followed by anti-corruption at 27 per cent and health services at 27 per cent. Education matters to 26 per cent, while youth employment registers 25 per cent.
In party affiliation, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) leads at 23 per cent compared to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) at 19 per cent.
However, 16 per cent of Kenyans identify with no political party, while an equal number declined to disclose their affiliation.
The government formation led by Ruto has 32 per cent support, up from 25 per cent in August.
The opposition led by Gachagua, Martha Karua and Musyoka attracts 22 per cent, while the Kenya Moja alliance led by George Natembeya, Edwin Sifuna and Owino polls 17 per cent.
The poll sampled 1,000 adult Kenyans across all 47 counties through computer-assisted telephone interviews, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.10 per cent at 95 per cent confidence level.