Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Sunday evening held a strategic meeting centred on Kenya’s political and economic transformation.
The two leaders shared details of the engagement in separate posts on X, describing the discussions as part of their efforts to shape the country's future.
“This evening, I was joined by Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka for a strategic engagement on the political and economic transformation of Kenya. Together, we remain committed to building a stronger economy, restoring public trust, and securing a better future for all Kenyans,” Matiang’i posted.
Kalonzo echoed the message, writing: “This evening I joined Fred Matiang’i for a strategic engagement on the political and economic transformation of Kenya. Pamoja tutakomboa Kenya.”
Photos shared by the leaders showed several political figures in attendance, including former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu and other allies.
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The meeting comes at a time when opposition leaders are intensifying consultations ahead of the 2027 General Election amid efforts to forge a united front against President William Ruto.
Matiang’i and Kalonzo are among the leading figures seeking to become the opposition's presidential flagbearer. Matiang’i has the backing of the Jubilee Party, while Kalonzo enjoys the support of the Wiper Patriotic Front coalition as the opposition works towards settling on a single candidate for the 2027 presidential race.
The engagement came shortly after businessman and Safina Party leader Jimi Wanjigi cautioned the opposition against fronting Kalonzo as its presidential candidate.
Speaking during a radio interview on Sunday, Wanjigi argued that Kalonzo lacks the political drive and influence required to mount a formidable challenge against Ruto.
"Kalonzo is my friend, but I will be honest with you. He has been in the game for a while. I worked with him in 2017 when we were backing Raila and, unfortunately, in my view, he is not the driver of anything," Wanjigi said.
According to Wanjigi, Kalonzo has failed to build a political machine capable of advancing a national agenda independently.
He further argued that Kalonzo has remained politically dependent on alliances with other leaders, making him vulnerable against seasoned competitors such as Ruto.
"Kalonzo supported Raila in three elections, and yet you don't hear him have a voice in Raila's home turf, in Raila's constituency, or anywhere. Raila had a massive constituency, and it was not just his home ground. Kalonzo doesn't have a constituency there. It tells you that there must be some leadership vacuum in him," Wanjigi said.
Wanjigi maintained that fronting Kalonzo as the opposition's candidate would hand Ruto a significant advantage in the race.
"William Ruto will win hands down if Kalonzo is the candidate. He will outsmart them. They should unify on an agenda. One term has a limit because people don't know what is beyond one term. Sell beyond one term, and you have a greater unifying factor. Otherwise, Ruto will win very early in the morning. They are playing in Ruto's arena; he knows the game. Raila was good at it. He never talked about tribalism. He sold his track record," he said.
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