‘Presidency Can’t Come Overnight’-Speaker Moses Wetang’ula Chides Edwin Sifuna Over Presidential Ambitions

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has taken aim at Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, asserting that reaching the presidency demands decades of political experience, extensive national networks, and strategic patience rather than a swift political ascension.

Addressing residents in Bungoma on Friday, October 23, 2026, Wetang’ula cautioned rising politicians seeking the country’s highest office against assuming they can command national leadership without first establishing a broad constituency across Kenya.

Drawing on historical precedents, the Speaker noted that former leaders who mounted formidable presidential campaigns built their foundations through years of cross-regional alliances.

“A leader must have experience, know the people, and travel across Kenya. You must build friendships,” Wetang’ula emphasized, urging emerging politicians to look beyond their home turfs.

Lessons from Political Stalwarts

Wetang’ula cited founding President Jomo Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as prime examples of political endurance, highlighting their ability to collaborate with past opponents in pursuit of national cohesion.

He praised Odinga’s political trajectory as a testament to maturity, pointing to his willingness to reconcile with long-standing adversaries to foster national unity.

Call for Regional Consolidation

The Speaker criticized what he characterized as an overly eager generation of political entrants who expect to claim executive leadership without investing time in building cross-county coalitions.

Concluding his address, Wetang’ula rallied the residents of Western Kenya to enhance their collective political bargaining power by maximizing voter registration and uniting behind a shared regional development agenda ahead of future electoral cycles.