Kalonzo Sets Sights on Political Legacy, Eyes Azimio Leadership
Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka is actively pursuing an extensive campaign to gain support from the Mt Kenya East region, aiming to challenge the Kenya Kwanza faction ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Last month, the prominent leader of the Azimio movement visited Meru and Tharaka-Nithi counties, and today he is scheduled to return to Embu. Joining him will be ex-Cabinet ministers Peter Munya and Eugene Wamalwa, along with Gideon Moi, the leader of Kanu.
“We will be in Embu on Sunday following an invitation by a local church. We will later address our people,” Kitui Senator Enock Wambua, a close ally of Mr Musyoka said.
A primary advocate for Mr. Musyoka, Mr. Wambua, has been at the forefront of the Wiper faction, advocating for the former Vice President to assume the position of opposition leader, potentially succeeding Mr. Odinga, and to be automatically nominated as Azimio’s presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.
Mr. Musyoka aims to establish his independent political trajectory while seeking to harness the immense support base of Mr. Odinga’s Azimio movement nationwide, particularly if Mr. Odinga secures the chairmanship of the African Union Commission. His strategy involves focusing on winning significant voter support in the region to propel his presidential aspirations.
As per the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Meru had 772,139 eligible voters during the 2022 elections, while Embu had 334,302 and Tharaka-Nithi had 231,932 registered voters.
Raila’s running mate.
Moi University lecturer and political analyst Nyaga Kindiki suggests that Mr. Musyoka faces a significant challenge in gaining support in the Upper Eastern counties, despite his previous roles as Mr. Odinga’s running mate in two unsuccessful presidential campaigns and his third-place finish in the 2007 election when he ran for the presidency.
Professor Nyaga suggested that this is due to the region’s historical association with the now disbanded Gikuyu Embu Meru Association (Gema), which is currently known as Mt Kenya in national political discourse.
“The region has a history of belonging to Gema or what is now referred to as Mt Kenya and votes in one basket with their Kikuyu cousins,” Prof Nyaga said.
Mr. Musyoka’s prospects for winning support from the Upper Eastern region are increasingly jeopardized by the emergence of an alliance within the Azimio coalition, led by Martha Karua and Jeremiah Kioni. This group, known as “Kamwene,” aims to advocate for the region’s interests and challenge President William Ruto’s authority.
“The Mt Kenya region is likely to back President Ruto’s re-election in 2027 even if it strategizes to get back the presidency in 2032,” Prof Nyaga, a brother to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, said.
The don added: “I doubt if Kalonzo would make any impact in Upper Eastern. He should have focused on consolidating his support in Lower Eastern, then shadowed Mr. Odinga and go to Western, Nyanza, and Coast to step into the shoes of the ODM leader.”
Professor Nyaga suggested that Mr. Musyoka could benefit significantly if Mr. Odinga were to successfully join the AU and step away from local politics. He advised the former Vice President to focus his efforts on targeting the ODM leader’s support bases rather than spending time in Upper Eastern, which he deemed as less fruitful.
While Mr. Musyoka has gained national recognition, particularly through his tenure as Vice President, his significant flaw lies in his tendency to frequently shift political objectives.
During the previous General Election, Mr. Musyoka had committed not to support Mr. Odinga anymore and had declared his intention to run independently. However, he eventually reversed his decision and decided to endorse the Azimio leader.
“Kalonzo has not been focused. If he is banking on Upper Eastern, he will lose again as those people are solidifying their power to succeed Ruto when he retires,” Prof Nyaga said.
The International Education and Policy professor believes that should Mr. Odinga secure the AU position, it would create a significant void in Kenyan politics, necessitating a seasoned individual with national influence to step in.
His elevation to the regional position is likely to divide his support base in Nyanza, as it may be perceived as a gesture of appreciation from the Ruto government towards Mr. Raila. This scenario could potentially attract some backing for the Kenya Kwanza faction in the region.
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“Mr Odinga will be working in government if he gets the AU slot. To discharge his duties he will need government support. Although he says he will be going nowhere (he will not leave politics) he will be going somewhere, and that is to the AU,” Prof Nyaga said.
Mr. Musyoka has joined forces with Mr. Wamalwa as a potential vice-presidential candidate in the 2027 elections as he strives to become the leader of Azimio, despite objections from ODM, which seeks to maintain its dominant position within the coalition due to its significant following and numerical advantage in parliament.
During the Sunday excursion, the ex-Mwingi North MP will be accompanied by Mr. Wamalwa and Mr. Munya, who leads the Democratic Action Party of Kenya and the Party of National Unity (PNU), respectively.
Tharaka Nithi, a county grappling with a history of neglect and lack of progress, consists of three electoral areas and serves as the native region of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki.
On the flip side, Embu serves as Attorney General Justin Muturi’s stronghold and boasts abundant agricultural output. It comprises four constituencies.
Meru, known for its flourishing tea, coffee, French beans, and miraa cultivation, is a political stronghold of both Mr. Munya and former CS Kiraitu Murungi. It comprises nine constituencies.
Mr Musyoka has maintained that Azimio La Umoja affiliate parties were united, and expressed confidence that the Coalition will take over power in 2027.
Mr. Musyoka has consistently asserted that the affiliate parties of Azimio La Umoja are cohesive, and he’s optimistic about the Coalition’s ability to assume power in 2027.
The key parties forming the Azimio coalition include Wiper, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Jubilee, Democratic Action Party (DAP-K), Party of National Unity (PNU), and Kanu.
Indications of division within Azimio have emerged due to Mr. Odinga’s hints about running for the presidency again in 2027, despite some of his supporters urging him to persist.
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This has stirred dissatisfaction within Mr. Musyoka’s faction, which has urged Mr. Odinga to endorse the Wiper leader, who has previously supported him in the 2013, 2017, and 2022 elections. However, during a recent speech in Kitui, Mr. Odinga stated that he has no issue with supporting Mr. Musyoka for the highest office.
New political occurrences have arisen since Mr. Odinga declared his intention to run for the AU Commission chairmanship. Yet, it remains uncertain whether he will run for the presidency again should he secure the prestigious continental position.
Viewed as the primary arena for the upcoming elections, the Mt Kenya East region boasts a voter population exceeding two million, attracting intense competition from Musyoka and his political rivals as they vie for support.
Mr. Musyoka is presenting attractive offers to the area to gain its support in his favor.
During his latest appearances, Musyoka pledged to rejuvenate the economy and liberate the locals from tyranny.
He promised to secure the presidency for the area with the support of every inhabitant.
“I’m your son, this time the next President should come from this region, with your support I will sail through,” he said recently.
Musyoka has made it clear that his determination to become the next President of Kenya cannot be halted.
He’s appealing to the area for support in his bid to secure the nation’s highest position, aiming to rejuvenate the economy and alleviate the plight of the majority of Kenyans who are struggling below the poverty threshold.
His visit to the area follows shortly after Odinga, the leader of the Azimio la Moja One Kenya Coalition, expressed his willingness to support Musyoka as the coalition’s presidential candidate.
Mr. Odinga recognized Mr. Musyoka’s significant contributions to his pursuit of power and conceded that he merited the ticket, yet he appealed for patience.
He claimed he wasn’t an ungrateful leader, emphasizing that he remembered Mr. Musyoka’s support for his presidential campaign in three successive elections.
Mr. Musyoka has expressed support for a cohesive Eastern region to stand a chance against President William Ruto in the upcoming elections.
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He has promised to provide tough competition for Dr. Ruto and others like him in the upcoming elections.
Mr. Musyoka criticized the Kenya Kwanza administration for not supporting the common people and urged Kenyans to oppose it.
Mr. Musyoka asserts that he harbors no malicious intent towards those in authority. However, the reality remains that they have failed the Kenyan people, and it’s time for them to be removed from office.
He has expressed sorrow over the government’s imposition of heavy taxation on Kenyans, viewing it as a form of oppression.
“The Kenya Kwanza government promised Kenyans heaven but ended up exploiting them,” he said at one point adding that everyone was suffering under the leadership of President Ruto.
Mr. Musyoka noted that even individuals employed by the government were experiencing significant taxation to support initiatives aimed at providing affordable housing.
“Even the police are being taxed, they are getting peanuts and they can’t meet their financial obligations,” he said.
Mr Musyoka pledged to free Kenyans from the chains of oppression.
“Let us say enough is enough. I’m ready to take over power and redeem the Kenyans majority who are struggling to survive,” said Mr Musyoka.
He urged the inhabitants to enlist with the Wiper party to bolster its strength for a better chance at securing the presidency.
“We should have a strong political movement that will be able to dislodge Kenya Kwanza from power democratically,” he stated.
Mr. Musyoka has articulated the need for a robust political initiative to ensure the protection of votes from theft during elections.
“If votes were not stolen in the last polls we would be governing Kenya. Let us be united and make sure it does not happen again,” he said.
Mr. Musyoka asserts that the nation needs an individual who is sincere, upright, and industrious like himself to generate wealth for the populace and eliminate poverty.
The leader of the Wiper party has been receiving substantial backing from the lower Embu region and nearly all of Ukambani but is now encountering competition from Dr. Ruto.
Dr. Ruto is gaining support in the region. In the recent elections, he secured significant votes from the area, which contributed to his ascent to the country’s leadership.
The political strategist for Embu asserts that the likelihood of Musyoka ascending to the position of Head of State is extremely promising.
The Makima MCA emphasized the need for a leader with a balanced demeanor similar to Musyoka’s, expressing confidence that Kenyan citizens would support his candidacy.
“Ruto will be a one-term President and the next Head of State will be Musyoka, Musyoka is the best option because Kenyans don’t need an extremist.
He noted that every governor from Ukambani is backing Musyoka and they will unite with other regional leaders to rally support for the seasoned politician.
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He said local leaders will take over Musyoka campaigns to make sure he wins.
“Musyoka is our leader and our work will be to campaign for him, as leaders from the region we have a winning strategy for Musyoka which we shall not disclose at the moment,” said Mr. Nzangi.
Embu community figure Kanyi Maina cautions Kenya Kwanza against underestimating Musyoka.
With Odinga absent, the current most seasoned politician in the nation is the leader of Wiper. He boasts extensive experience as an MP for numerous years and has previously served as a vice president, embodying all the attributes of effective leadership.
Mr. Maina, a member of the Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), noted that in a just political environment devoid of bribery and violence, Mr. Musyoka stands a strong chance of winning the presidency.
“Musyoka is diplomatic, he is not troublesome and he can make a very good President,” said Mr Maina.
Mr. Musyoka’s odds of winning are higher due to the support he enjoys from both Odinga and Wamalwa.
“If Nyanza and Western regions, the home turfs for Odinga and Wamalwa respectfully throw their weight behind Musyoka, then the Wiper leader will be home and dry,” said Mr Maina.
Kalonzo Sets Sights on Political Legacy, Eyes Azimio Leadership
