Jubilee Party has ruled out zoning ahead of the 2027 General Election, a move that could complicate efforts by the united opposition to negotiate electoral boundaries and seat-sharing arrangements.

Party Secretary General Moitalel Ole Kenta said Jubilee will field candidates for all elective seats around the country, including in areas regarded as strongholds of other parties in the opposition coalition.

He described the decision as a defence of democratic choice and warned that zoning entrenches ethnic-based politics and narrows voter options.

Addressing journalists in Narok town ahead of the opening of a Jubilee branch office in the region on March 17, Mr Ole Kenta said zoning restricts competition, dampens voter enthusiasm and weakens accountability by elevating party deals over popular support.

“We must not limit aspirants to certain areas only. We must create healthy competition for the benefit of wananchi who want services, not party hooliganism,” he said. “Zoning predetermines electoral outcomes, and the moment you start saying this party belongs to this region and another party belongs elsewhere, you are already violating the constitution.”

Mr. Ole Kenta argued that Kenya’s constitution requires parties to adopt a national outlook, and warned zoning undermines merit by side-lining capable leaders in favour of political arrangements. “You don’t necessarily get the most capable leaders when competition is removed. You get those who fit political deals, not those best suited to serve the people,” he said.

While ruling out seat zoning, Jubilee remains open to negotiations on the presidential race, he added, confirming that the party’s candidate for now is former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i. Mr Ole Kenta described Dr Matiang’i as a hands-on leader grounded in values of honesty, courage and sacrifice, and pledged the party would prioritise accountability, anti-corruption, social welfare and support for youth and farmers if elected.

“The former Interior Cabinet Secretary is a leader who engages directly with citizens and institutions,” he said, listing priorities such as eliminating corruption, feeding the hungry, supporting widows and orphans, caring for the elderly and creating opportunities for youth and farmers.

Mr Ole Kenta said Jubilee has entered a “working” arrangement with the Party of National Unity (PNU) but urged political outfits to allow aspirants to contest freely across regions rather than forming parties around narrow regional or ethnic interests. He insisted open competition would strengthen democracy and expand the pool of leaders committed to service delivery.

On foreign policy and citizen protection, Mr Ole Kenta called on the government to urgently facilitate evacuation of Kenyans stranded in the Middle East amid escalating missile and aerial attacks. He argued that citizens fleeing conflict should not be required to pay for evacuation flights or services.

“It is both insensitive and unacceptable to subject Kenyans fleeing war and bombardment to any form of financial charge to return to their own country,” he said, urging the government to waive all transport and evacuation fees and to prioritise the safety of citizens.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Affairs has said it is monitoring the situation and prioritising the welfare of Kenyans in the Middle East.

In a March 6 statement, the ministry said more than 500,000 Kenyan nationals reside and work in the Middle East and that emergency response measures have been activated. Kenya has reported no confirmed casualties among its citizens in the conflict to date.

Mr Kenta also warned against a culture of impunity that allows discredited leaders to perpetuate corruption, political violence and governance failures. He said many of Kenya’s problems stem from a citizenry that fails to hold political elites accountable.

“When Kenyans fully understand the destructive force of impunity, it will spark a national awakening and pave the way for redemption,” he said, asserting that recycling tainted leaders enables economic plunder and human rights abuses to continue with little consequence.

The secretary general’s comments come as political parties and coalitions intensify preparations for the 2027 polls, with seat negotiations, alliances and candidate endorsements set to dominate the calendar. Jubilee’s rejection of zoning signals its intention to contest broadly and to challenge regional monopolies on elective posts.

Local party officials in Narok said the opening of the branch office aims to strengthen grassroots mobilisation ahead of the election cycle and to give residents direct access to party leadership. The office will coordinate local campaigns, recruit aspirants and register supporters.

Critics of Jubilee’s stance argue that outright opposition to zoning could fragment opposition unity and complicate negotiations necessary for a coordinated challenge to the ruling coalition. Supporters counter that open competition will push aspirants to present clear platforms and improve service delivery.

As political parties prepare for the next electoral season, debates over zoning, candidate selection and national cohesion are likely to intensify, shaping alliances and strategies in the months ahead.

• A Tell Media / KNA reporter / By Emily Kadzo

Jubilee Party Secretary General Moitalel Ole Kenta addresses the press during a briefing in Narok town.