Kalonzo's home turf under siege as Ruto makes Ukambani inroads

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka addresses the press in Nairobi on October 19, 2026. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Is Wiper Patriotic Front party leader Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka slowly losing hope and surrendering the political support he has long counted on in his Ukambani stronghold? More critically, is he facing an uncomfortable reality from his own trusted lieutenants?

In his own words, Kalonzo appears to have realised that many politicians professing the Wiper party doctrine across the larger Ukambani region are merely riding on his back to secure their seats, only to abandon him to wander in the political wilderness, stripped of power and control over national resources.

These burning questions dominated the conversation following his address to hundreds of guests gathered for a thanksgiving ceremony hosted by Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu at her home in Mua Hills.

In a rare display of frustration, Kalonzo lamented that his march to State House was facing unnecessary hurdles, erected not by his opponents, but by the very allies tasked with catapulting him to the presidency through sacrifice, faith, and action.

Pointing to the intensified political mobilisation led by President William Ruto’s Ukambani allies, who include MPs Vincent Kawaya (Mwala), Mwengi Mutuse (Kibwezi West), and Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East), a furious Kalonzo reprimanded his Wiper foot soldiers for slacking off while his chief archrival turned the lower Eastern region into a political playground.

The Wiper leader also turned his guns on two top bishops from the region, accusing them of purporting to speak on behalf of the Akamba community and dictating its political direction.

Kalonzo’s emotional address further reflected the fallout from Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s recent presidential secretariat launch, where he was heckled by a section of the audience. He directed part of the blame at Wiper party members who failed to accompany him to the event for moral support.

Kalonzo laboured to remind the community that winning the presidency demands serious sacrifices and an intrinsic drive to rally unreservedly behind his bid, free from internal divisions and strife.

“I want to address the doubting Thomases of this community that the time is now. The presidency cannot be sought after by jokers, people who do not see the bigger picture. The entire country appears ready to receive us but we are scattered,” Kalonzo said.

He questioned how his presidential ambition could succeed nationally when politicians within his own party remain reluctant to back his campaign and continue pulling in different directions.

“Everyone in Wiper appears to be busy fighting their own battles, fighting in their own corner. You must work as a team,” Kalonzo said.

Agitated by President Ruto’s growing influence in the region, Kalonzo directed all Wiper party leaders to retrace the President’s steps following his recent four-day tour and actively "de-educate" voters who may have been converted during the Head of State's charm offensive.

However, President Ruto’s local allies dismissed the directive as an exercise in futility, arguing that Kalonzo and his team cannot mount a successful anti-Ruto campaign in a region already witnessing tangible, life-changing development projects.

Mwala MP Vincent Kawaya stated that President Ruto’s tour delivered concrete development that cannot be countered with empty rhetoric.

“The ground has shifted and Ukambani residents are wiser. They know what hasn’t been done before by leaders who controlled the same amount of resources but did not mobilise the same to help the people,” Kawaya told The Standard over the phone.

Kawaya added that Kalonzo’s remarks revealed a total lack of purpose and goodwill for the community he purports to lead. “Why would Kalonzo ask his MPs to trail Ruto’s development tour route and persuade voters not to support him? He should focus on building his own case instead of pursuing reactionary politics,” said Kawaya.

The legislator challenged the Wiper leader to abandon the fractured opposition and join hands with the President in delivering development. “Kalonzo should save himself embarrassment and join us early because the base has already shifted,” he said.

Former State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita also faulted Kalonzo’s posture, describing it as retrogressive.

“Kalonzo must start to view Ukambani’s dire need for economic growth and his presidential ambition as mutually exclusive issues. Pursuing his ambition must not come at the price of total isolation of the community from the national development discourse,” Waita said.

Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse defended the President, maintaining that the tour was purely about economic transformation. “Those who are thinking about reversing what the president did must essentially bring equivalent projects. Kalonzo must stop burying his head in the sand. I urge him to join us before the window closes,” said Mutuse.

Mutuse further alleged that the hostile reception Kalonzo received at Senator Sifuna’s event was no coincidence, but a clear signal that he is unwelcome within the broader opposition movement.

“Our people have been in the opposition for over 20 years. As he ages, I urge him not to lead the community into further misery in opposition politics,” Mutuse added.

Labour Cabinet Secretary Dr Alfred Mutua similarly urged Kalonzo to re-evaluate his political trajectory.

“If we are not careful with our politics, our community will continue to languish in poverty. Kalonzo should realise early that he has no place in the opposition and shift his focus to the destiny of the Akamba community,” Dr Mutua said.

The high-stakes political wrestling match in Ukambani has also triggered a rift between Kalonzo and senior clergy, whom he accused of overstepping their mandate by attempting to dictate the region's political fate.

“An impression has always been given that a few religious leaders speak on behalf of the community. There is a clear separation between the church and political leadership. When we give direction, there should be no contradiction,” said Kalonzo.