List of Presidential Candidates in Kenya for 2027

Updated 2 October 2026.

As of 2 October 2026, thirteen people have declared that they are running for President of Kenya in the 10 August 2027 election, or have been confirmed as candidates by their parties. William Ruto is seeking a second term on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket. Ranged against him so far are Kalonzo Musyoka, Rigathi Gachagua, Fred Matiang'i, Martha Karua, David Maraga, Edwin Sifuna, James Orengo, Eugene Wamalwa, Eliud Owalo, Boniface Mwangi, Miguna Miguna and Jimi Wanjigi. Nobody is on the ballot yet. The IEBC takes presidential nominations from 29 May to 11 June 2027.

Declared or confirmed candidates

As of 2 October 2026:

A party's endorsement puts nobody on the ballot. That takes an IEBC nomination, and the commission has issued none.

Two rows moved between 25 and 27 September 2026. Linda Mwananchi named Edwin Sifuna (Senator, Nairobi) its presidential candidate after a retreat on 26 September, The Star reported, and his allies settled on the United Democratic Party as his vehicle once the Registrar refused to let it become the Ukombozi People's Party. "We have a party. And it's called the United Democratic Party (UDP). It is the party Sifuna will use," George Natembeya (Governor, Trans Nzoia) told The Star on 25 September. A launch at the party's Nairobi headquarters was planned for 3 October, according to Kenyans.co.ke.

James Orengo (Governor, Siaya) is the other. "I am a presidential candidate in 2027 and I am a serious one," The Standard quoted him saying on a tour of Homa Bay County, in a report published on 29 August. On 1 October he said he would launch "a political vehicle" while staying "committed to opposition unity", Kenyans.co.ke reported. He gave no party name. We covered the Homa Bay tour in Orengo's declaration.

Wamalwa's row carries a condition. On 25 September 2026 he told Citizen Digital that he would step aside if the opposition chose Sifuna, and cited the time he stood down for Musalia Mudavadi in 2013.

Owalo resigned as Deputy Chief of Staff on 11 January 2026, the day he declared. He launched the People's Prosperity Party in Nairobi on 8 July 2026 and said he would run on its ticket "if the party nominates me as its flag-bearer", Capital FM reported.

Weighing a run, or running for something else

Okiya Omtatah (Senator, Busia) has had a presidential exploratory committee since November 2024, chaired by Mary Kathomi Riungu. The Nation reported on 14 June 2026 that he expected the committee's report and would announce in early July whether he would run for President or defend his Senate seat. We found no report of that announcement by 2 October 2026, so he is listed here and kept out of the table.

Two names that turn up in searches are not running for President. Morara Kebaso, who announced a presidential bid in May 2025 and left politics a few weeks later, joined the Jubilee Party and is seeking the Borabu seat in the National Assembly, Kenyans.co.ke reported on 30 June 2026. Babu Owino (Embakasi East) is running for Nairobi governor. "I'm supporting Sifuna for President 100%," Citizen Digital quoted him on 15 September 2026.

The opposition's one-candidate process

Six names in the table (Kalonzo, Gachagua, Matiang'i, Karua, Wamalwa and Sifuna) belong to an opposition arrangement that has promised to field one presidential candidate between them. The Nation reported on 23 August 2026 that the opposition had formed a "United Alternative Government" to pick that person. Its members included Gachagua's DCP, Kalonzo's Wiper, Matiang'i's Jubilee, Wamalwa's DAP-K, Justin Muturi's Democratic Party, Karua's PLP, Peter Munya's Party of National Unity and Sifuna's Linda Mwananchi movement. "The objective is to make sure we agree on the best candidate," said Mukhisa Kituyi, the opposition's spokesman. No method had been agreed, the paper said.

Kalonzo's wing wanted him unveiled as the joint candidate by 10 October, with Sifuna as running mate and the post of Prime Cabinet Secretary offered to Gachagua, The Star reported on 23 September. Sifuna's side answered two days later. "Sifuna will be the presidential candidate of our party and as we seek coalition partners, we are clear who is our candidate," Boni Khalwale (Senator, Kakamega) told The Star.

Gachagua, speaking to Kenyans in Dallas, predicted that "one presidential candidate will be announced, one person will go away," The Star reported on 27 September. He said he would not be that person and would back whoever was chosen. The arguments over method are set out in poll or negotiation.

How a presidential candidate gets on the ballot

Article 137 of the Constitution sets the conditions. A candidate must be a citizen by birth, qualified to stand as a Member of Parliament, and nominated by a party or standing as an independent. The fourth is a signature count: nomination by at least 2,000 registered voters in each of a majority of the counties. That means 24 of the 47 counties and at least 48,000 signatures. It applies to party candidates as well as independents, and the IEBC wants the lists by 24 May 2027.

Each candidate names a running mate who must also qualify to be President (Article 148). Article 137(2)(a) disqualifies anyone who owes allegiance to a foreign state. Miguna holds Kenyan and Canadian citizenship, The Star reported on 9 January 2026, and the paper's explainer read Article 78(2), which bars a State officer from dual citizenship, as applying on taking office. The IEBC has not yet published its 2027 notice of qualifications.

Money next. The 2027 nomination fee had not been published by 2 October 2026. In 2022 a presidential candidate paid the IEBC Sh200,000, or Sh100,000 for women, youth and persons with disabilities, The Star reported on 23 March 2022.

The degree question is muddier. IEBC commissioner Ann Nderitu said on Citizen TV on 23 August 2026 that "there is no requirement for a degree for anybody", The Star reported. Section 22(2) of the Elections Act still names the President, though, and no court has struck that part down.

Winning is a separate test, explained in the 24-county rule.

What changes before the IEBC nomination window

Parties go first. Each must give the IEBC the names and specimen signatures of its authorised officials by 15 October 2026, and the Registrar certifies party nomination rules by 30 October 2026, according to the IEBC release of 20 August 2026. After that the dates jump to 2027:

• 16 March 2027: membership lists and names of primary contestants to the IEBC
• 12 April 2027: coalition political party agreements to the Registrar
• 8 May 2027: party primaries and internal disputes finished; independents out of every party
• 9 May 2027: pre-election coalition agreements, by the Registrar's timetable
• 24 May 2027: presidential supporter lists
• 29 May to 11 June 2027: presidential nominations at the IEBC
• 7 August 2027: campaigning ends

A candidate's campaign period opens only when the IEBC registers them, and never before 29 May 2027. The incumbent's ticket is already named. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said on 25 July 2026 that "the Ruto-Kindiki ticket will be on the ballot", The Star reported. Every date is in the 2027 election calendar.

How this list is kept up to date

We update the table once a month and change the date above it each time. A name goes in only when a named outlet reports a declaration or a party endorsement, with the date and the outlet beside it. It comes out if the person withdraws, is reported running for a different seat, or loses a party nomination. The next update is planned for early November 2026. After 11 June 2027 the IEBC's own list of nominated candidates replaces this one.