Kipchumba Murkomen Joins Broad-based Leaders in Persuading Kalonzo Musyoka to Back Ruto

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen publicly urged Kalonzo Musyoka to abandon the opposition and support President William Ruto's re-election bidMurkomen warned Kalonzo that aligning with Edwin Sifuna, George Natembeya, and Rigathi Gachagua would drag him into bitterness and confrontationHis remarks followed an incident where Kalonzo was booed at Sifuna's Linda Mwananchi rally launch in Nairobi on Friday, October 30Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner 😉

Nancy Odindo is a Current Affairs Editor at TUKO.co.ke, covering political and world news. Odindo has over six years of journalism experience and joined TUKO.co.ke in 2023.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has publicly called on Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to abandon the opposition coalition and align himself with President William Ruto's camp, describing the current trajectory as politically dangerous for the former vice president.

CS Kipchumba Murkomen asks Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to ditch the opposition and back President William Ruto’s re-election. Photo: Kipchumba Murkomen. Source: FacebookMurkomen made the remarks on Saturday, October 31, at an event in Ngiito, Ilmotiok Ward, Narok county, held to empower women's groups in the area. Speaking before a crowd of supporters, he framed his appeal as friendly advice rather than political pressure.

Kalonzo Musyoka challenges his supporters after heckling incident, calls for 112,000 polling agents

The CS said the recent Linda Mwananchi rally in Nairobi was merely a preview of what lay ahead, suggesting that the momentum behind that movement was far greater than Kalonzo had appreciated.

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Murkomen drew on his personal history with the former ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna, stating that he knew him from his university days when the Nairobi senator served in his youth wing. On that basis, he predicted that Sifuna would eventually distance himself from Kalonzo.

Wiper blasts Sifuna after Kalonzo was heckled in Linda Mwananchi event: “There must Be respect”

He further warned that the path being charted alongside Sifuna, Trans Nzoia governor George Natembeya, and former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua was one rooted in bitterness, hatred, and violence, and cautioned that such allies would blackmail and embarrass Kalonzo over time.

Murkomen's appeal followed an awkward moment for Kalonzo at the launch of Sifuna's Linda Mwananchi movement in Nairobi on Friday, October 30, where sections of the crowd booed the Wiper leader after he cautioned against rushing to declare Sifuna a presidential candidate, saying opposition talks were still ongoing.

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen pleads with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to join President William Ruto’s camp. Photo: Kalonzo Musyoka. Source: FacebookSeveral leaders within the broad-based arrangement led by Ruto have been making similar overtures to Kalonzo in recent weeks, urging him to cross over and support Ruto's re-election ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Kalonzo had rejected the advances, maintaining his presidential ambitions and hitting back at the government over allegations of corruption, extrajudicial killings, and abductions, vowing to restore what he described as the country's lost dignity.

Mixed reactions as Kalonzo ends speech after being heckled at Sifuna’s event

The remarks come at a time of significant political realignment, with opposition parties engaged in active negotiations to rally behind a single presidential candidate to challenge Ruto in 2027.

Previously, TUKO.co.ke highlighted Kalonzo's response to Ruto after the president called him a formidable rival and his appeal for a united opposition ahead of the 2027 election.

Kalonzo cast his decades in politics as a period of patience and preparation, comparing the experience to the Israelites’ 40 years in the wilderness.

He also challenged supporters to turn Ruto’s praise into a reason to back his presidential ambitions.

Nancy Odindo (Current affairs editor) Nancy Odindo is a current affairs writer at Tuko.co.ke (joined in 2023). She has one year’s experience in print and more than five years’ experience in digital media. Nancy holds a B.Sc. in Journalism from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Email Nancy at nancy.odindo@tuko.co.ke