Karua, Nyoro and Matiang'i dismiss Ruto's tax relief pledge at Njoro rally
The three opposition leaders said they will back one presidential candidate in 2027 and name that person next year.
Based on reporting by Citizen Digital and Capital FM.
Ndindi Nyoro at the launch of the People's Party of Kenya in August 2026. File photo, 2026. Photo: MARTIN MBAU / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Opposition leaders Martha Karua, Ndindi Nyoro and Fred Matiang'i held a joint rally in Njoro, Nakuru County, on Wednesday, where they dismissed President William Ruto's latest tax relief proposals as campaign promises ahead of the 2027 election.
Ruto used his Mashujaa Day speech on Tuesday to propose exempting people who earn Sh32,333 a month or less from PAYE income tax. Nyoro, who leads the People's Party of Kenya, said the promises were campaign talk because the work had not been done, according to Citizen Digital.
Karua, the People's Liberation Party leader, said the opposition would field a single presidential candidate. "We will declare a united flag-bearer later next year," she said, adding that the team was open to other leaders who want to join.
Nyoro said an opposition government would cut taxes deducted from salaries, widen medical cover and raise the monthly stipend for older people from Sh2,000 to Sh4,000. Matiang'i, the Jubilee Party's presidential hopeful, called for peaceful politics and warned against a repeat of the 2007/2008 post-election violence.
The reports used for this story did not include a response from the government or the ruling UDA party. Ruto's tax proposals still need Parliament's approval before they can take effect.
