Kenya is entering the final year to the 2027 General Election, with the presidential race beginning to take shape as political alliances are expected to play a decisive role in determining the outcome.
A new Swiss poll places President William Ruto ahead of individual presidential contenders, although his support has declined compared with the previous survey conducted in March.
Ruto currently commands 31 percent of stated presidential voting intentions, down from 36 percent in March.
Among opposition presidential hopefuls, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka leads with 41 percent, followed by ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna at 26 percent, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i at 17 percent and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at nine percent. Another eight percent of respondents remain undecided.
The figures give Kalonzo the strongest numerical position among those seeking to lead the opposition into the 2027 presidential contest.
However, the poll’s age demographics reveal a strong appeal for Sifuna among younger voters. About 58 percent of his supporters are aged between 18 and 35, highlighting his relatively strong support among the youth.
At the party level, ODM emerges as the most preferred political party, attracting 23 percent support. The poll shows that 22 percent of respondents have no party preference, while President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) commands 20 percent.
The Democratic Congress Party (DCP) records 15 percent support, while Wiper and Jubilee register nine percent and seven percent, respectively.
The findings suggest that while Ruto maintains an early lead when individual presidential contenders are considered, the opposition retains significant support that could become more consequential if rival parties consolidate behind a single candidate.
With the 2027 election approaching, the poll points to a potentially competitive contest in which party alliances, coalition arrangements and the ability of candidates to mobilise younger voters could significantly shape the final outcome.
