Leaders say Kalonzo will lead coalition to contest against Ruto

Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka addresses the press in Nairobi on December 8, 2024. He is flanked by former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

Opposition leaders allied to Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka have announced that they will form a coalition aimed at ousting President William Ruto.

Speaking on Friday at a prayer banquet in Nairobi, former Kiambu Governor, Ferdinand Waititu, Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni and DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa said that the coalition will be led by Kalonzo.

“We will not join forces with UDA. Instead, we will post candidates everywhere. We will represent the peoples’ view and remain in the opposition,” said Kioni, adding that, “This coalition, led by Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, is the coalition that we belong to. This is to oust Ruto one touch. And to oust him our coalition has to be strong.”

They also declared their unwavering support for the church and the Gen Z youths who have been leading protests on social media after their street protests were subdued.

“We will stand with the people… the Gen Zs came and helped us so much. As the opposition, we will not be scared. We are very clear on the way forward and we will stand firm,” declared Waititu.

He also stated that Kalonzo will be the coalition’s candidate.

“2027 is not far, pray for our incoming president Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka. We are with Rigathi Gachagua and also Uhuru Kenyatta,” said the former Kiambu governor.

Kioni, while downplaying the recent meeting between President Ruto and his predecessor, Uhuru, said Kenyans should stop misinterpreting it as an endorsement of Ruto’s current administration, insisting that such assumptions would be fundamentally incorrect.

Keep Reading

“We have decided as people from the mountain, we will be united. We will be with citizens. Uhuru Kenyatta warned us against Ruto. That (meeting) doesn’t mean he is with Ruto,” he said.

The Jubilee Secretary General also said talks of the former president’s brother joining the Ruto government was all hot air.

“Everyone wants to mention that Muhoho Kenyatta is headed to Cabinet. If he wanted to be in the Cabinet, he would have been long time ago. We are not interested in some of those things they’re just trying to ruin some of those people’s names,” he said.

The leaders also supported the Church’s position against the government, and called on the members of the clergy to be firm and consistent.

“Do not allow yourselves to be divided. The President knows how to use the Church. On the IEBC, We need to set a date and demonstrate with the church because every day, we are sinking deeper into a worse state. Because when IEBC is not sorted we are walking into a constitutional crisis,” declared Kioni

“We as opposition, we are grateful to the Church for Standing for the truth. We urge the church to stand firm,” he added.

It is a shame for a senior government official to call opposition names and call them evil spirits.

“What we are saying as opposition it is truth,” added Wamalwa.

Kalonzo criticised President Ruto’s plans to mass-vaccinate livestock.

“Some people have done research and they don’t want us to ask questions. For instance we’re doing vaccination for the cows lets work with facts,” he said.

“We want to know what are we vaccinating these animals against. Is it against ECF (East Coast Fever) for example or rinderpest?” He posed

Kalonzo also called out the president for wehat he termed as his penchant for telling lies.

“Yesterday (on Jamhuri Day), we listened to the president speak. When a person deceives others, he is called a liar and when a person lies to himself, he is called delusional,” stated Kalonzo.

He also insisted that the new health scheme, Social health Authority, is a burden to taxpayers.

“When we say SHA and SHIF has a problem. SHA and SHIF system doesn’t work. We will continue fighting for the truth. We want to urge the church to Refuse the divide and rule tactic of the government,” he added.