NAIROBI, Kenya — Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has ruled out any political handshake or power-sharing arrangement with President William Ruto, declaring that his next engagement with the Head of State will be at the ballot in the 2027 General Election.
Kalonzo said the opposition would not repeat past political arrangements that have seen rival camps share power, insisting that the next year should instead be used to mobilise voters and build an alternative government.
Addressing supporters as Kenya entered the final year before the 2027 election, Kalonzo said exactly 365 days remained before the country goes to the polls and urged his allies to use the period to organise at the grassroots.
“And so, to William Ruto, we say this plainly: the only national conversation Kenyans shall have with you is at the ballot on August 10, 2027. There will be no handshake. No nusu-mkate. Count the days,” Kalonzo said.
“For the next 365 days, wazalendo wenzangu, we mobilise. We organise. We build, county by county, ward by ward, until this movement becomes unstoppable.”
Kalonzo rejects power-sharing
The Wiper leader’s remarks signal a harder opposition stance as political parties position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
Kalonzo accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of failing to deliver on key promises, citing healthcare, education, the cost of living and unemployment among young people.
He was particularly critical of the government’s health reforms under the Social Health Authority (SHA) and Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), alleging that Kenyans were paying more while still experiencing difficulties accessing medical services.
He also criticised the government’s economic programmes, arguing that successive changes in their branding had not translated into better living conditions for ordinary citizens.
“Hustler Nation became Bottom-Up. Bottom-Up became the Singapore Dream. Now we are asked to believe in a Vision 2060, as though changing the label might change what is served at the table,” he said.
Unveils alternative policy agenda
As he outlined his political strategy, Kalonzo unveiled a 13-point programme dubbed the People’s Budget, which he said would provide the policy foundation for his proposed United Alternative Government in Waiting.
The agenda includes universal healthcare, free and quality education, a living wage and dignified employment, food security, tax justice and stronger devolution.
It also proposes youth and women’s empowerment, infrastructure and housing development, social protection, climate justice, zero tolerance for corruption, and national unity and reconciliation.
“This is the covenant we offer the people of Kenya,” Kalonzo said.
He said the programme was designed to address the economic and social challenges facing ordinary Kenyans and offer an alternative to the policies of the current administration.
Calls for credible 2027 election
Kalonzo also turned his attention to election preparedness, calling on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to guarantee a free, fair and credible 2027 election.
He urged IEBC Chairman Erastus Ethekon and commissioners to remain independent, transparent and accountable to voters.
The opposition leader further condemned political violence and called for disputes to be settled through elections rather than confrontation.
He demanded greater transparency in campaign financing, arguing that voters should know who is financing political campaigns and political organisations.
“There will be no manufactured crisis, no invented excuse, no threat spoken or merely implied to delay or deny this election its rightful date,” he said.
Opposition mobilisation gathers pace
Kalonzo’s declaration comes as Kenya’s political formations intensify grassroots mobilisation and seek to build alliances ahead of the 2027 polls.
The Wiper leader said his proposed United Alternative Government in Waiting would spend the next year establishing a nationwide political structure and mobilising supporters at county and ward levels.
He ended his address with a call for supporters to remain focused on defeating the Kenya Kwanza administration at the ballot.
“Three hundred and sixty-five days from today, wazalendo wenzangu, we shall shoot Ruto at the ballot. Together, we shall Komboa Kenya,” Kalonzo said.
The declaration sets up a potentially combative 2027 campaign, with the opposition seeking to consolidate around a common presidential candidate while the Ruto administration and its allies work to defend their hold on power.
