With an eye on 2027, Kalonzo Musyoka rejects Ruto overtures to join Kenya Kwanza

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has maintained he would not join the current administration as his close allies push him to start preparing for a duel with President William Ruto in 2027.

In what is understood to be a bid to create the impression that he is the man to beat in the next general election, Mr Musyoka predicted the President would intensify his efforts to court him to bag the Ukambani backyard.

The region voted overwhelmingly for ODM leader Raila Odinga, who was the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate in this year’s General Election.

“In the coming days [President] Ruto and his allies will intensify their tours in Ukambani. We shall welcome them but they should not assume that the Kamba are foolish,” he said in Mwingi Central in Kitui on Saturday.

Yesterday, Mr Musyoka hinted that he would be in the presidential ballot in 2027.

“Going forward, the people of Makueni and Ukambani will be in the forefront in seeking the leadership of Kenya. You hear that?" he said while condoling with the family of Agnes Kanyila Mutuku, the mother of Nzaui/Kilili/Kalamba Ward MCA Francis Mutuku, who died a week ago.

He dismissed the ongoing interventions by the government to fight food insecurity in Ukambani, saying it was a ploy by President Ruto to campaign for his 2022 re-election.

Buoyed by the impressive performance of the Wiper party in Ukambani and beyond in the last polls, Mr Musyoka had on Saturday said the region had every reason to have faith in his leadership.

However, he acknowledged that the President’s inroads in the region had rocked his support base but maintained he would diligently serve in the opposition.

Although he did not explicitly declare his 2027 presidential bid, Mr Musyoka heaped praises on Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua and Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi, who are among his close allies and are bullish that the country was ripe for the Wiper party leader’s presidential bid.

The Wiper lawmakers warned the party leader against working with President Ruto.

Mr Wambua repeated his call to Mr Odinga, Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua and Kanu chairman Gideon Moi to support Mr Musyoka.

“To our Azimio leaders led by Mr Odinga, Ms Karua, and Mr Moi, the time has come for us to marshal our resources and rally behind Mr Musyoka’s 2027 presidential bid. It will be one touch to State House,” he said, adding: “It is not Mr Musyoka who is supposed to join President Ruto; it is Ruto himself, after we beat him in 2027, who is supposed to join Mr Musyoka.”

The sentiments sharply contradict those of some Wiper leaders, among them Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti and her Makueni colleague, Mutula Kilonzo Junior.

The two have declared their willingness to work with President Ruto, arguing that the community risks languishing in underdevelopment if it severed ties with the Head of State.

Mr Musyoka singled out Kitui County Assembly Speaker Kelvin Kinengo as he criticised leaders whom he accused of being easy targets for the Kenya Kwanza Alliance charm offensive.

Last week Mr Kinengo hosted President Ruto’s daughter, Charlene. The meeting came days after the youthful speaker heaped praises on President Ruto, whom he termed as his source of inspiration.

 “If you are elected on a Wiper ticket remain steadfast. If you operate out of that it is going to be very difficult for you. Kitui county, beginning with the speakership, I want you to know that you are a targeted group. You are targeted for disruption,” Mr Musyoka said.

In addition to the simmering internal rebellion, the Ukambani political kingpin is facing sustained criticism from a group mainly drawn from a growing community of President Ruto allies in the region.

They include United Democratic Alliance (UDA) chairman Johnson Muthama, former Kitui Senator David Musila, and former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, all Mr Musyoka’s allies-turned-foes.

Yesterday, Mr Muthama hosted the allies of President William Ruto in Ukambani, signalling a pause in the simmering supremacy battles that had threatened to rock the team.

They committed to rally the Kamba community behind President Ruto’s administration, whom they praised for appointing their community members to the Cabinet.

“The Kamba community has exhausted its chances of occupying the State House. The community has been languishing in the political cold for 10 years already. We cannot afford another five or even 10 more years in the cold,” Mr Musila said after a Sunday service at Bomani ABC in Machakos.