Kalonzo, Gachagua to hold talks over opposition presidential ticket

By  George Munene

Contributor

Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

• Mr Musyoka dismissed attempts to portray their meetings as a source of friction within the opposition.
• The meeting will come just days after Mr Gachagua hosted Senator Edwin Sifuna at his Wamunyoro home.

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyokais on Monday expected to meet Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua as opposition leaders step up consultations on who should challenge President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election.

Mr Musyoka said his political relationship with Mr Gachagua remained firm, dismissing attempts to portray their meetings as a source of friction within the opposition. He disclosed that he had visited the former deputy president at his Wamunyoro home and later hosted him at his Tseikuru homestead.

“I want Kenyans to know that tomorrow (Monday) we will continue visiting each other, so it is not a big deal the way I see people putting things. Some are sent so that they can try to create problems and peace at a time our negotiations are delicate,” Mr Musyoka said.

“I will personally talk with all leaders who want to lead this country as the President. We must remain firm in this journey,” he added.

His remarks come a week after Mr Gachagua met Linda Mwananchi leader Edwin Sifuna at his Wamunyoro home, signalling continued engagement among opposition figures as they seek common ground ahead of the election.

Mr Musyoka said such meetings should be viewed as normal political consultations rather than evidence of divisions, urging Kenyans to pray for the country to make the right choices in 2027.

“When you see us visiting each other, that is basically what it is. It is remaining 10 months to the next General Election. Please, Church, pray for this country to get it right this time,” he said.

He ruled out Wiper joining the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and said his party had opposed the impeachment motion against Mr Gachagua, signalling continued political distance from the President’s camp.

Mr Musyoka also defended the right of young people to demonstrate, saying the Constitution guarantees citizens the freedom to assemble and protest.

He described the 2010 Constitution as a lasting legacy of the late President Mwai Kibaki, saying it had opened up political space and strengthened civil liberties, including freedom of worship, assembly and peaceful demonstration.

“If there is an inheritance we were left with by Kibaki, it is the 2010 Constitution that has opened political space, freedom of worship, the right to assemble, the right that you can also demonstrate like what happened in France,” he said.

He criticised the handling of demonstrations in Kenya, contrasting it with the response to protests in France, and warned that leaders could join street demonstrations if the situation persisted.

“The President there did not order police to put people in police vehicles or order police to shoot their legs, because he knows the French Constitution. If it continues this way, even us leaders we will join demonstrating. When we join demonstrating, all Kenyans will come out,” he said.

Mr Musyoka also called for respect for the separation of powers, saying the Judiciary, the Executive and Parliament had distinct constitutional mandates that should not be undermined by one another.

On the 2027 election, Mr Musyoka called for a transparent process in which results declared at polling stations would be respected, citing the legal principles associated with the Maina Kiai case.

The case, decided by the Court of Appeal in 2017, affirmed the finality of presidential vote counting and declaration at the polling-station level, limiting the electoral commission’s role in altering results during subsequent tallying.

Mr Musyoka said the principle should guide the next election, arguing that Kenyans should know the winner without undue delays.

“We were in NADCO and said you cannot mess around with the results from the polling station. If I will be presidential candidate, before midnight, before people sleep, they will know who is the President,” he said.

He added that the election should be determined by the votes cast by Kenyans and credible electoral structures, rather than decisions made by a handful of electoral commissioners.

“Even the President of the USA did not go to IEBC to know their results. We will make sure this time elections will be free and fair and it will not depend on seven people calling themselves IEBC, it will be the people themselves and structures that are put in place,” he said.

Former Attorney General Justin Muturi echoed the call for transparency, urging voters to turn out early, protect the vote-counting process and ensure results were made available online.

“We will vote very early, protect them until they are counted and it will be final and we want it online,” Mr Muturi said.

Mr Musyoka was accompanied by Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu and other leaders. The Wiper team addressed congregants at Ithareini ACK Church before holding rallies at Kiamutugu trading centre and Ngurubani in Mwea.

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