GARISSA, Kenya — Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Saturday night, September 12, 2026, met opinion shapers and respected elders from different clans in Garissa as he stepped up his political mobilisation in Northern Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The meeting, held during Kalonzo’s ongoing “Ukombozi” tour of Garissa and Tana River, focused on the political future of Garissa, Northern Kenya and the wider country.
Kalonzo placed particular emphasis on the role of elders in guiding communities, describing their influence as especially important during a period of heightened political activity.
“I hold our elders in the highest regard. They carry the wisdom that guides our families and holds our communities together, and their voice matters now more than ever,” Kalonzo said.
The former Vice President said his discussions with the elders went beyond electoral politics and centred on the kind of country Kenyans want to build together.
He was accompanied by Mohamed Ali, the Wiper Patriotic Front deputy party leader and Nyali MP, during the engagement.
“We spoke about Garissa, about Northern Kenya, and about the country we are building together,” he said.
Kalonzo seeks to expand ‘Ukombozi’ message
Kalonzo presented the Garissa meeting as an important step in his broader effort to take the “Ukombozi” message beyond his traditional political base.
He said the movement would spread from Garissa across Northern Kenya and eventually reach other parts of the country.
“The Ukombozi wave born here today will travel across Northern Kenya and beyond, into every corner of our nation. Together we shall Komboa Kenya,” Kalonzo said.
The engagement came as Kalonzo and other opposition leaders sought to strengthen their grassroots networks in Northern Kenya ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kalonzo’s official campaign platform had listed a Garissa “Meet the People Tour” for September 12 as part of his wider political engagements in the region.
Garissa rally disrupted by reported stone-throwing
The elders’ meeting followed a tense political rally in Garissa earlier in the day, where opposition leaders and their supporters were reportedly confronted by groups of youths who threw stones at the gathering.
The incident occurred as Nyali MP Mohamed Ali addressed supporters alongside Kalonzo.
The youths, estimated at about 50 and operating in different groups, reportedly began throwing stones, forcing several leaders and supporters to seek safety inside their vehicles.
Several vehicles were reportedly damaged, including one belonging to Democratic Party leader and former Attorney General Justin Muturi, whose windscreen was said to have been partly destroyed.
Security officers attached to the opposition leaders intervened and chased the youths away before calm returned.
The circumstances surrounding the confrontation were not independently established in the material provided.
Leaders condemn political violence
Following the confrontation, Mohamed Ali condemned the alleged use of young people to cause political chaos.
Kalonzo, meanwhile, urged Garissa residents to maintain peace and protect the longstanding relationship between Somali and Kamba communities.
“We have been good neighbours for decades, and that relationship must remain the same before, during and after the elections,” Kalonzo said.
Muturi described the incident as an attempted assassination and called for investigations, warning that political violence could deepen divisions in the country.
His description of the incident as an assassination attempt remains an allegation pending investigation.
Elders take centre stage in Northern Kenya mobilisation
Kalonzo’s engagement with Garissa elders highlights the importance opposition politicians are placing on grassroots mobilisation as the 2027 election approaches.
By engaging clan elders and other opinion shapers, the Wiper Patriotic Front leader is seeking to build political relationships beyond his established support base.
The meeting also allowed Kalonzo to frame his campaign around broader questions of national unity, community relations and the future political direction of the country.
His appeal for continued Somali-Kamba relations came against the backdrop of the earlier disruption at the Garissa rally, adding a message of peace to his wider political mobilisation.
