Kalonzo Musyoka urged opposition leaders to agree on a joint presidential candidate for 2027.
The Wiper leader says he will back Sifuna or another agreed candidate, but urges leaders to follow a joint selection process before the 2027 election.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has called for opposition unity after delegates booed him at Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s presidential secretariat launch. He urged leaders to set aside personal ambitions and agree on one candidate for the 2027 General Election.
Kalonzo faced a hostile reception at the Nairobi event on Friday after cautioning against prematurely naming Sifuna as the opposition’s flagbearer. Sifuna then intervened to calm the gathering.
However, Kalonzo said he did not oppose the senator’s presidential ambitions. He maintained his own interest in the presidency but pledged to support whoever emerged through an agreed process.
Kalonzo urges opposition unity through agreed selection
Kalonzo’s intervention followed remarks by former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa that appeared to suggest Sifuna could lead the opposition ticket. He cautioned leaders against declaring a candidate before reaching a collective agreement.
The Wiper leader also recalled receiving a mandate to seek the presidency at a delegates’ conference on October 10 last year. He urged patience and said Sifuna should follow the proper procedure.
According to Kalonzo, Linda Mwananchi’s National Delegates Convention on November 13 would formalise Sifuna’s position. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence in the senator’s prospects, saying he could eventually become Kenya’s sixth president.
Kalonzo also offered to support Wamalwa if the former Cabinet Secretary became the opposition’s preferred candidate. He argued that defeating President William Ruto would require sacrifice, honest consultations and a coalition with nationwide support.
He urged politicians to reject sycophancy and support the agreed nominee. Explaining the need for broad support, he said a first-round victory required more than half of all votes cast.
Rule of law and youth concerns
Beyond the presidential contest, Kalonzo called for a return to constitutionalism and the rule of law. He compared the political mood to the period before the 2002 General Election.
He attributed that mood to continuing dissatisfaction among young people, particularly Generation Z, following their involvement in anti-government protests. Kalonzo also pledged that the opposition would not abandon them, linking lawful governance to equality and opportunity.
Meanwhile, he conveyed messages of support from former Defence Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua and Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi. He described them as participants in the wider opposition effort.
Kalonzo congratulated Sifuna on opening the secretariat, describing it as an important organisational step. His appeal comes as opposition leaders intensify consultations over a joint presidential challenger for 2027.
