Wiper Threatens To Leave United Opposition Before 2027, Gachagua Releases Statement

Wiper Democratic Movement has warned that it could leave the United Opposition and pursue an independent presidential campaign if its leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, is not selected as the coalition’s flag bearer for the 2027 General Election.

The party’s Coast region leaders delivered the warning during a press briefing in Mombasa on Monday, November 3, insisting that Kalonzo would not accept a deputy presidential position or step aside for another opposition politician.

Coast Wiper chairman Dr John Chamia said the party’s position was clear, dismissing suggestions that Kalonzo could work with President William Ruto ahead of the next election.

Chamia described the relationship between Kalonzo and Ruto as incompatible, maintaining that Wiper’s priority was to remove the current administration from power through a united opposition campaign led by the former Vice President.

“Kalonzo and Ruto are like North and South; they can’t meet. Whoever is thinking that they can work together should be daydreaming,” Chamia stated.

He also addressed the recent heckling of Kalonzo during a Linda Mwananchi Movement gathering, warning opposition leaders against allowing disagreements to weaken their political cooperation.

Although he defended the movement, Chamia alleged that some individuals could have infiltrated its events to create divisions between opposition partners. He clarified that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna was not personally responsible for the incident.

Meanwhile, Wiper National Executive Council member Sheikh Twaha Omar urged Sifuna to call on his supporters to respect Kalonzo, citing the latter’s legal background and experience in national politics.

Twaha argued that Kalonzo had consistently remained in the opposition despite opportunities to join the government, adding that the party would support his presidential ambitions regardless of the coalition’s final decision.

“We are going with Kalonzo all the way to the ballot. If they refuse to name him the flag bearer, he will still vie against the others,” he declared.

Chamia revealed that opposition parties were still discussing the possibility of presenting a joint presidential candidate, with a meeting expected within a month to settle on their preferred flag bearer.

The latest position exposes a disagreement over presidential succession within the United Opposition as its constituent parties prepare for the 2027 elections.

Wiper’s ultimatum also comes amid growing tensions following the incident involving Kalonzo at the Linda Mwananchi gathering, raising questions about how opposition leaders will manage competing presidential ambitions while pursuing a common political platform.

https://www.tuko.co.ke/politics/645498-wiper-threatens-leave-united-opposition-kalonzo-musyoka-named-presidential-candidate/

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