Why is Kenya on full campaign mode one year to 2027 elections?

• Early campaigns reshape Kenya’s political landscape
• ODM split fuels rival anti- and pro-Ruto rallies

NAIROBI, KENYA – Kenya’s political heavyweights have launched early campaigns for the 2027 general election, plunging the country into a charged political atmosphere nearly 18 months before the vote.

Prominent figures already on the campaign trail include President William Ruto and a united opposition brigade led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has emerged as one of Ruto’s fiercest critics following his impeachment in October 2024.