KISUMU, Kenya, Jul 3 — Opposition leaders seeking to challenge President William Ruto in 2027 have kicked off a regional tour in Western Kenya, pledging unity and a common while steering clear the presidential flagbearer question.
Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka said while the coalition intends to settle on a single candidate, discussions around a flagbearer are premature.
“The important thing now is to solidify our base,” Musyoka said.
“One fine day, we’ll go for a retreat to come up with the name. Whoever is chosen will have our full support.”
He emphasized that all leaders in the coalition are equal partners, adding: “Whoever will carry the flag will be the first among equals.”
The tour—covering Vihiga, Kakamega, Busia, and Bungoma counties—is focused on addressing regional concerns, with the struggling sugar sector topping the agenda.
Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa said the team will confront challenges plaguing the region, including opaque leasing of state-owned sugar mills.
“We are in the sugar belt. Most of the mills have been leased to private individuals without public participation,” he said.
Wamalwa added that the team will also review infrastructure projects promised by the national government.
Speaking to the press in Kisumu on Thursday, leaders including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya reaffirmed the opposition’s commitment to advocating for citizens.
Natembeya framed the tour as a strategic move to ensure the region has a voice in government after decades of political exclusion.
“Since independence, this region has never been fully in government. This time round, we will be there,” he said.
‘Sponsored chaos’
He urged residents to turn up in large numbers to engage with their leaders and listen to the coalition’s vision for uplifting the region out of poverty.
Natembeya also called on security agencies to protect all leaders from potential acts of hooliganism during the tour.
Addressing recent claims by the government that opposition leaders were behind the Gen Z-led protests, Gachagua and Matiang’i dismissed the allegations as baseless.
Former DP Gachagua accused Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen of incompetence, questioning how protestors could breach a police station under 24-hour surveillance.
“How can goons attack a police station that’s guarded 24/7, then you turn around and say you’re looking for them?” he posed.
Matiang’i echoed Gachagua’s sentiments, stressing that the opposition had nothing to gain from inciting violence.
“We are an organized team with a clear intention of saving Kenyans—not sponsoring chaos,” he said.
