Kalonzo Musyoka is the man: Wiper MPs tell Raila ahead of 2027 polls
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Kibwezi East Member of Parliament Jessica Mbalu and other faithful during service at Missioners of Hope Christ Ministries in Utawala, Nairobi County, on July 9, 2023.
Kalonzo Musyoka’s allies have urged Azimio la Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga to support the Wiper party boss and start propping him to face off with President William Ruto in the 2027 elections.
Speaking during a church service at Missioners of Hope Christ Ministries in Utawala, Nairobi, Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo and other leaders called on Mr Odinga to throw his weight behind Mr Musyoka.
Mr Maanzo said it was time for Mr Odinga to return the favour by endorsing Mr Musyoka.
“This time round we are saying it is Mr Musyoka. We have done it thrice with Mr Odinga, now let us have him support our party leader,” he said.
Kitui Rural MP David Mboni said that they have supported Mr Odinga in the past and it was now time for the Azimio leader to start supporting Mr Musyoka for a stab at the presidency in 2027.
“We have supported Raila thrice and we are now saying it is time he seriously considers his support for Kalonzo. As a region, we know where our support will become 2027, and we want him (Mr Odinga) to return the favour,” he said.
Steering clear of the 2027 elections talk, Mr Musyoka called out President Ruto’s regime for punitive taxation. He said that the citizens were asking the government to consider alternative methods of revenue generation that would not place an unbearable burden on them.
“For the past 30 years since we amended Section 2A, our country has been going backwards and it is unjustifiable to tear gas a Chief Justice or impose excessive and punitive taxes because the more you keep them in jail, the more you are telling Kenyans to come out and protest and take the country backwards,” he said.
Mr Musyoka urged citizens not to resort to violence even as they fight for their rights. He expressed his commitment to bringing about change through non-violent means.
The former vice-president vowed to provide leadership on national issues and acknowledged the dire situation many Kenyans are facing. He stressed the need for immediate action to address the problem and expressed his determination to find solutions.
“People are going hungry and we cannot just sit back and allow that to happen, we should advise our people not to resort to violence. We want change without resorting to violence, even though we haven’t talked to Raila. We will provide leadership on national issues,” Mr Musyoka said.
The Wiper party leader added that it was important for Kenya to have an independent police service, stressing that they should not be changed every time there is an incident. He called for better support for the police to enable them to carry out their duties effectively.
“Our police are also facing challenges and it is important to give them better support. They are also facing challenges; I am not saying you should disobey your leaders’ orders, but I believe in having an independent police service,” he said.
Amid ongoing concerns about corruption, Mr Musyoka decried the lack of consequences for National Assembly Chief Whip Silvanus Osoro after he admitted to bribing fellow lawmakers to pass the Finance Bill 2023, and reiterated the need for accountability and transparency in Kenya’s political landscape.
“If a national leader can stand up because we are dealing with these tax measures that are punitive beyond imagination and say we bribed people and he agrees that they bribed them and it goes unpunished when it happens in Parliament then we have accepted corruption. For a party to take an oath and go against it is very bad and they need to know that four years is very little time,” said Mr Musyoka.
Harmonious co-existence
Noting the need for harmonious co-existence among Kenyans, Mr Musyoka rejected the comparison of the country to a company, suggesting that if such an analogy is to be made, then everyone should have the right to reclaim their taxes, similar to shareholders selling their shares.
“No one is indispensable. Leaders should listen to the people of Kenya. Then a leader stands up and compares a nation to a company and suggests buying shares; we reject that notion. But if you insist on treating it like a company, then everybody has to take back their taxes,” he said.
Mr Musyoka was referring to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s declaration that the Kenyan government was like a company with shareholders and those who voted for the Kenya Kwanza government would benefit first before others are considered.
He further urged religious institutions to stand up for the truth, and for it to play a more active role in the moral and ethical development of society.
“I urge the Church to step in and bridge the gap and restore its image. Even if you were bribed yesterday, stand for the truth and redeem the Church,” said Mr Musyoka.
