MOMBASA, Kenya — Wiper Democratic Movement leaders from the Coast have demanded that their party leader Dr Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka be named the opposition’s presidential flag bearer, warning they will go it alone if their demand is not met.
The leaders insisted Kalonzo will not deputise anyone in the opposition formation.
They also ruled out any possibility of Kalonzo working with President William Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking in Mombasa on Monday, November 2, Coast region Wiper Party chairman Dr John Chamia said those imagining a pact between Kalonzo and Ruto were daydreaming.
“Kalonzo and Ruto are like North and South; they can’t meet. Whoever is thinking that they can work together should be daydreaming,” said Chamia, during a press briefing attended by News9.africa.
Chamia said the party’s minimum is to have Kalonzo as the opposition presidential candidate to face President Ruto.
“We will not accept any other candidate. Our objective is to remove President Ruto from office,” he said.
The leaders also condemned the heckling of Kalonzo during a recent opposition engagement, calling for respect and unity within the broad opposition coalition.
They singled out Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, asking him to put his house in order.
“We want the opposition united. As Wiper Coast region, we are ready to take all seats at the Coast,” said Sheikh Twaha Omar, a Wiper National Executive Council member from the Coast region.
Sheikh Twaha said pressure was mounting on the opposition to settle on a single candidate early enough.
“Kalonzo will go all the way to the ballot. If they refuse to name him the flag bearer, he will still vie against the others. He is not backing down for anyone this time round,” said Twaha.
Patricia Nzioka, a women representative aspirant, said Kalonzo’s ideologies are what the country needs.
“We are here to stand with the leader who has ideologies that can lead this country. We are asking Sifuna to tame his people,” said Nzioka.
Ezekiel Kiminza, Changamwe parliamentary aspirant, said they will defend Kalonzo up to the ballot.
“We are calling for unity in the opposition and our position is to have Kalonzo named as presidential candidate,” he said.
Kadzandani MCA aspirant Johanna Adriano said Wiper will sweep the Coast if united, but warned against mischief within the opposition.
“We read mischief. If Sifuna was the owner of the meeting, he should have tamed what happened,” Adriano said.
The leaders maintained that only a united opposition under Kalonzo’s candidature can unseat President Ruto in 2027.
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