Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi has cast doubt on the political weight of former President Uhuru Kenyatta following reports that he is backing efforts to form a broad opposition “super coalition” ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Ahmednasir questioned why some politicians would rely on Uhuru’s influence, arguing that the former Head of State failed to deliver victory for Raila Odinga in the 2022 polls despite holding significant political power at the time.
“Who between Uhuru and President William Ruto will you have in your corner?” Ahmednasir posed, referencing the high-stakes nature of coalition politics.
He added that Uhuru entered the 2022 election with “all the cards” but was still defeated by his then deputy, now President Ruto.
The lawyer further dismissed the emerging coalition plans as politically misguided, questioning the rationale behind renewed confidence in Uhuru’s mobilization ability.
“Why are some Kenyans foolish enough to count on Uhuru?” he said, suggesting that the former president’s political capital has significantly diminished since leaving office.
Ahmednasir also weighed in on the Mount Kenya voting bloc, a critical factor in Kenya’s electoral politics.
He claimed the region is overwhelmingly aligned with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, arguing that this reality undermines any coalition strategy anchored on Uhuru’s influence.
“If he failed to deliver for Raila in 2022, why do some politicians think he can deliver for them in 2027?” Ahmednasir posed, adding that Uhuru is now “politically irrelevant” compared to his time in office.
His remarks come in the wake of reports that Uhuru is working behind the scenes to reorganise the opposition into a unified front, potentially bringing together key figures such as Kalonzo Musyoka and Fred Matiang’i under a single electoral strategy.
While proponents of the reported coalition argue it could strengthen opposition unity, critics like Ahmednasir maintain that electoral success will depend on current political realities rather than past influence.