Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has urged opposition supporters to accommodate Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka after the former Vice-President was heckled during the launch of the Linda Mwananchi Movement headquarters in Nairobi, exposing growing divisions over the opposition's 2027 presidential ticket.
Natembeya, who attended the Friday, October 30 event in Lavington, appealed to supporters to exercise restraint, warning that hostility towards some of the coalition's senior leaders could undermine efforts to build a united front against President William Ruto.
“Honourable Kalonzo has been here, and he has left a little upset. You know the position we are in now is delicate. We must speak to one another,” Natembeya said.
“Our people, as we continue with this journey, let us be more accommodating. We know where Kenyans stand, but let us not ruin this journey,” he added.
He specifically addressed supporters who had shouted down Kalonzo, asking them to allow leaders with different political interests to participate in the opposition's activities.
“To those who were shouting, I am asking you, please be tolerant,” he said.
The appeal came after Kalonzo expressed displeasure with the reception he received at the gathering, where Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has increasingly attracted attention from supporters of the Linda Mwananchi Movement.
Kalonzo also took issue with DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa over remarks that appeared to favour Sifuna as a possible opposition presidential candidate before consultations among coalition leaders.
“Let me tell you legally, because you are a lawyer, you have to wait until the 13th of November; that's when we will talk with a fellow presidential candidate. He who is here is the party leader,” Kalonzo said.
The Wiper leader, however, indicated that he would support Sifuna or Wamalwa if either emerged as the opposition's preferred candidate, suggesting that negotiations remained open.
But his remarks also reflected the unease among established opposition politicians over the growing enthusiasm for Sifuna's possible presidential candidature.
The disagreement comes as opposition leaders attempt to agree on a joint candidate to challenge President Ruto in the 2027 General Election.
Kalonzo has repeatedly maintained that he is prepared to contest the presidency, having previously run in 2007 and served as Vice-President under the late President Mwai Kibaki.
On Saturday, October 31, he returned to the question of his political ambitions during a house-opening ceremony for Makueni Senator Agnes Kavindu, where he challenged his supporters to demonstrate greater commitment to his presidential bid.
He expressed concern over what he viewed as the relatively small number of Wiper supporters who accompanied him to the Linda Mwananchi launch compared with delegations from other opposition formations.
His allies have also defended his candidature, with Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo insisting that the party would not abandon its presidential project.
“We are going all the way to the wire. It is not about Kalonzo but the country and the people. We are going to soldier on because it is only Kalonzo who can send Ruto home,” Maanzo said.
Meanwhile, the disagreement has provided an opening for leaders allied to President Ruto to intensify efforts to woo Kalonzo into the broad-based government.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot and presidential aide Farouk Kibet have publicly urged the Wiper leader to reconsider his association with the opposition.
Murkomen argued that Kalonzo was not being given the recognition he deserved within the opposition and should consider working with the President.
Cheruiyot claimed that the opposition was too disorganised to defeat Ruto, while Kibet also urged Kalonzo to consider joining the government.
The overtures have, however, not changed Wiper's public position.
The latest exchanges have placed Natembeya in the middle of an increasingly delicate balancing act: maintaining unity among opposition leaders while managing supporters who appear to favour a different presidential candidate.
The opposition's November 13 consultations are expected to provide an opportunity for leaders to address the question of the presidential ticket and establish how they intend to work together ahead of the 2027 elections.
