Kalonzo’s Wamunyoro Meeting With Gachagua Raises Questions Over Sifuna’s 2027 Bid

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka met former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri County on Monday, October 26, as opposition leaders continued consultations on possible political alliances ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The meeting came amid growing efforts to identify a common presidential candidate to challenge President William Ruto in the next election. However, emerging differences over Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s presidential ambitions have raised questions about how opposition parties will agree on a joint candidate.

Kalonzo’s visit followed his announcement on Sunday that he planned to meet Gachagua, who leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP). The discussions also came six days after Gachagua hosted leaders associated with the Linda Mwananchi Movement, a political camp linked to Sifuna, at his Wamunyoro home.

The October 20 meeting brought together several political figures, including former Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo, Linda Mwananchi communications head Pauline Njoroge, DCP Secretary General John Methu and DCP deputy party leader Cleophas Malala.

The gathering fuelled speculation about possible cooperation between Gachagua’s party and leaders associated with Sifuna as opposition figures explore ways to strengthen their position before the 2027 polls.

On Sunday, Malala said DCP intended to persuade Kalonzo to support Sifuna’s presidential bid during the planned Monday meeting.

According to Malala, the party had settled on the Nairobi senator as its preferred candidate and was reaching out to other opposition leaders to build support for his candidature.

Malala pointed to Gachagua’s earlier meeting with Sifuna as a sign that the two political camps were working together.

He also maintained that DCP believed Sifuna was capable of leading the opposition into the next presidential contest.

However, Wiper disputed Malala’s account of the purpose of the planned meeting, rejecting the suggestion that Kalonzo was being approached specifically to endorse Sifuna.

Wiper spokesperson and lawyer Ndegwa Njiru criticised Malala’s remarks, arguing that they risked creating divisions among opposition leaders at a time when cooperation was being discussed.

Njiru urged the media not to treat Malala’s statement as an accurate representation of Wiper’s position, accusing him of promoting a divisive narrative that could undermine the opposition’s unity efforts.

The disagreement exposed a potential challenge for opposition leaders seeking to build a common political platform: agreeing not only on their alliances but also on who should lead their presidential campaign.

While DCP has publicly identified Sifuna as its preferred candidate, Wiper’s response indicates that support for his bid cannot be assumed across the opposition.

Details of the discussions between Kalonzo and Gachagua were not immediately available at the time of reporting. It therefore remained unclear whether the two leaders had reached any agreement on Sifuna’s candidature or on a broader opposition coalition.

The outcome of the consultations could influence how opposition parties position themselves in the months leading up to the 2027 General Election, particularly as they weigh competing presidential ambitions against calls for a united challenge to Ruto.

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