Wiper Addresses Claims Kalonzo Must Be Opposition's Presidential Candidate

Wiper Party has addressed claims that its leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, must be the presidential candidate of the United Alternative Government for the 2027 General Election.

In an interview on Sunday, October 18, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru weighed in on the debate, expressing doubts that Kalonzo would agree to deputise Sifuna. 

She also pointed to the position of some of Kalonzo’s supporters, warning that they could consider backing President William Ruto if their preferred candidate was not selected.

"I don’t see Kalonzo agreeing to deputise Sifuna, and Kalonzo’s followers have said if it’s not Kalonzo, they will go to Ruto," she claimed.

In response, Wiper Party spokesperson Ndegwa Njiru clarified that the party had not formally demanded that Kalonzo be selected as the preferred presidential candidate of the oppositio.

Njiru, however, maintained that Wiper had made its position on working with Ruto clear, distancing the party from any suggestion that it would support the Head of State.

"Let it be known that Wiper has neither made such a presentation nor taken a position that our presidential candidate must be the preferred United Alternative Government candidate, but we have made it clear the Kalonzo will never work with Ruto," he responded.

At the same time, Waiguru questioned whether Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has the political capacity and machinery to mount a successful presidential campaign.

She argued that the Nairobi Senator may need more time to prepare for the country’s top seat.

Waiguru cited the political decisions made by Sifuna’s allies as an example of what she considers a weakness in his ability to build the support base required to win a presidential election.

"Let me give you one example that made me know that Sifuna still needs time. When they were deciding on the party to run, his closest allies, who hold his hands up, he could not convince them to abandon their parties for his," she said.

Waiguru argued that a presidential candidate must demonstrate the ability to rally elected leaders and mobilise political resources before seeking the presidency.

She compared Sifuna’s situation with that of President William Ruto in 2022, saying the Head of State had managed to secure the support of a significant number of lawmakers when he was serving as Deputy President.

"That is a capacity issue. Ruto, when he was still DP, convinced over 100 MPs to go with him and help him with the presidency. Ruto has the money and the machinery, so if you don’t have it, what are you doing running for president?" she posed.

Waiguru further questioned whether Sifuna’s apparent appeal among online audiences would be enough to secure votes, noting that electoral mobilisation requires more than visibility on social media platforms.

"It’s not easy to translate mobilization on social media into votes; those are two different things. If you come to Mt Kenya and you look at the ratings, you will be surprised that Ruto is higher than Sifuna," she added.