Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has turned down any prospect of serving in President William Ruto's administration, stating that he will remain in the opposition and contest the 2027 General Election against the president, The Star, Kenya reports.
Speaking after a church service at AIC Kyemutheke in Kyumvi, Machakos County, on Sunday, Kalonzo said he had seen media reports suggesting he was being courted by the government and answered them directly. According to The Star, Kenya, he argued that joining the administration would contradict his role as one of its principal political rivals.
Why it matters
The declaration closes off, at least publicly, a line of persuasion that Kenya Kwanza figures have pursued for months. Kalonzo's support base in the Ukambani region is considered significant in national elections, and his decision to stay in opposition keeps him aligned with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and other leaders positioning themselves against the current administration ahead of the 2027 vote.
The remarks also set up a direct contest between Kalonzo and Ruto, a framing the Wiper leader himself pushed in his comments.
Kalonzo's answer to the overtures
According to The Star, Kenya, Kalonzo said he had been named in headlines as someone the government was seeking, and he rejected the idea outright. He said it was not conceivable that he would move to the government side, describing himself as the opposition figure the ruling camp had already identified as its main challenger.
He added that the two sides would meet at the ballot in a democratic manner, and repeated his refusal, saying he was speaking seriously.
The Star, Kenya reports that the comments came amid renewed efforts by Kenya Kwanza allies to draw Kalonzo into cooperation with the president. Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has said he plans to hold talks with the Wiper leader, and Farouk Kibet, an aide to the president, has been prominent among those urging Kalonzo to leave the opposition.
Kalonzo and his party have consistently rejected reports of planned cooperation with the government, The Star, Kenya reports, and say they remain committed to the opposition alongside Gachagua and other political figures.
Gachagua tells Ruto allies to stop
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who leads the DCP, weighed in separately, telling the president's allies to stop trying to recruit Kalonzo, according to The Star, Kenya.
Speaking at a church service at PCEA Kamangu in Kikuyu Constituency, Kiambu County, Gachagua said such efforts were pointless because the Wiper leader had no interest in joining the administration. He said he had seen government figures working hard to persuade Kalonzo, including suggestions that he would gain nothing in opposition and might be offered the running mate position — a claim Gachagua questioned.
The Star, Kenya reports Gachagua described Kalonzo as a changed politician and a trustworthy leader who would not betray Kenyan voters, citing their time working together over the past two years.
Gachagua also cast himself as the point of contact for anyone seeking Kalonzo's support, saying he speaks for the family and that government leaders should raise any requests with him at his Wamunyoro home rather than his Nairobi residence. He maintained that Kalonzo is committed to what he called the liberation of the country and is working closely with other opposition leaders to challenge the government.
A wider push from the ruling side
The wooing has not been limited to private talks. The Star, Kenya's summary of related coverage points to public pressure from several directions: Kitui UDA leaders have urged Kalonzo to work with the president and warned that an alliance with Gachagua would lead to frustration, while Roads Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has called on Kalonzo to drop his alignment with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and cooperate with Ruto. Other outlets have examined why the president wants Kalonzo on his side before the 2027 elections, and Daily Nation reported that Kalonzo has accused allies of allowing the president to gain ground in Ukambani.
For now, the Wiper leader's public position is unchanged: he says he will be on the ballot as an opponent, not a partner. Whether the government's emissaries keep up their appeals, and whether Kalonzo's opposition alliance with Gachagua holds together through the campaign, is what to watch next.
