NAIROBI, Kenya – In a fiery exchange that has added fuel to Kenya’s simmering political tensions, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Friday accused National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula of orchestrating state-sponsored violence during the United Opposition’s tour of Western Kenya.
The United Opposition convoy—featuring political heavyweights like former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya—was allegedly met with hostility in Chwele town, where goons reportedly hurled stones and carried crude weapons.
Kalonzo, placing blame squarely on Wetang’ula’s doorstep, claimed the disruptions were state-backed and executed under the shield of riot police.
“Speaker Wetang’ula’s state-sponsored goons throwing stones and firing bullets under the protection of Riot Police did not deter our march to Kitale,” Kalonzo charged in a statement that quickly went viral on social media.
Wetang’ula to Kalonzo: “Stop Your Angry Politics”
It didn’t take long for Wetang’ula to fire back. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Speaker dismissed Kalonzo’s remarks as baseless, poking at the Wiper leader’s tone and reminding him of some basic facts.
“Kalonzo, my brother, as you have correctly addressed me, stop your misplaced anger and transferred malice. I am in Mombasa. Keep out of your angry politics,” Wetang’ula responded, adding, “In case your memory fails you, I was last a constituency MP in 2013!”
The rebuttal seemed calculated to emphasize Wetang’ula’s distance—geographically and politically—from the alleged incidents on the ground.
But the statement did little to ease growing speculation that government-aligned figures may be quietly working to frustrate the opposition’s regional mobilization efforts.
A Growing Chorus Against Violence
While Kalonzo was taking direct shots, Gachagua took a broader route—decrying violence as a dangerous regression for Kenya’s democracy.
After sharing images of damaged vehicles and scattered crowds in Chwele, the former Deputy President released a statement condemning what he termed a calculated attack on democratic freedoms.
“Governments that thrive on violence are short-lived and lack legitimacy,” Gachagua said. “Leaders who resort to brutality and suppression undermine the very foundations of good governance and true democracy.”
He added that the people of Kimilili had spoken “loudly and clearly” against extrajudicial methods—calling for a Kenya where dissent isn’t met with batons and bullets.
The allegations, whether provable or not, come at a precarious moment for the Ruto administration.
With the United Opposition gaining momentum and public fatigue rising over economic hardship and perceived inequality, every clash—verbal or physical—becomes political currency.
Politics or Provocation?
There’s no shortage of finger-pointing in Kenyan politics, but the Kalonzo-Wetang’ula spat stands out for its timing and intensity.
The opposition’s Western Kenya tour was meant to build political capital. Instead, it’s ignited a blame game involving one of the highest-ranking officials in the country’s legislature.
Whether this is just political theater or a glimpse into deeper fractures remains to be seen. What’s certain is that Kenya’s political stage has grown more volatile—and opposition leaders aren’t hesitating to name names.
