Cleophas Malala has put Boni Khalwale under pressure to turn his United Patriotic Movement (UPM) party into a political vehicle for Edwin Sifuna ahead of the 2027 presidential election, arguing that time is running out for the Nairobi senator to build a new party from scratch.
Malala made the call on Friday, August 21, 2026, while speaking during the burial of Khalwale’s late wife, Gloria Sekeiyan, at the senator’s family home in Malinya, Kakamega County.
The former Kakamega senator told mourners that Khalwale had an opportunity to directly support Sifuna by giving him control of UPM and allowing him to use the party to seek the presidency.
“Boni umebaki na jambo moja la kufanya kusaidia huyu Sifuna. Mmeona jana usiku IEBC imeweka gazette notice ya programme ya uchaguzi,” Malala said.
His remarks followed the publication of the 2027 election programme by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which has set October 15, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to submit the names and specimen signatures of their authorised officials.
Malala said the timeline should push leaders to make quick decisions on the political parties they intend to use in next year’s election.
“Boni Khalwale, you are the game changer here. Mmeona wamesema kwamba kama unataka chama chako kiparticipate in the next year’s election, peleka majina na signatures za watu wa chama yako by 15th October.”
He argued that the remaining time would not be enough for Sifuna and his supporters to comfortably create a new party, put its structures in place and complete the requirements needed to participate in the election.
Instead, Malala suggested that Khalwale should make his established party available to the Nairobi senator.
“Kama unapenda huyu Sifuna, wachana na kuwa party leader wa hiyo chama. Patia Sifuna aitumie kutafuta urais wa Jamhuri ya Kenya. Then we shall know that you are serious,” he said.
Malala said the move would spare Sifuna from spending valuable time looking for a political party while other candidates prepare for the election.
“Mtoto wetu hawezi hangaika, anatembea left right and centre akitafuta chama na wewe uko na chama Boni Khalwale.”
He also called on Khalwale to use UPM to bring Luhya leaders and voters together around Sifuna’s presidential campaign.
“Chukua chama, patia siku awe Party leader, twende kwa debe kama jamii moja ya Mulembe,” Malala said.
The proposal comes as political parties begin working within the deadlines announced by the IEBC for the 2027 General Election.
The commission has set August 10, 2027, as the date for the General Election and has given political parties several deadlines that they must meet before the polls.
Among the first major deadlines is October 15, 2026, when parties intending to participate in the election must submit the names of their authorised persons and their specimen signatures to the IEBC.
Political parties will then be required to have their nomination rules certified by the Registrar of Political Parties by October 30, 2026.
The certified nomination rules must subsequently reach the IEBC by November 6.
The election timetable also provides deadlines for political parties to submit their membership lists and organise their internal nomination exercises.
All party primaries and disputes arising from the exercises must be concluded by May 8, 2027.
Presidential candidates will also face their own requirements before being cleared to contest. By May 24, 2027, presidential aspirants will be expected to provide a list containing the names and signatures of at least 2,000 registered voters drawn from a majority of Kenya’s counties.
Malala said these deadlines made it important for Sifuna to secure a political vehicle early instead of waiting until the election preparations are further advanced.
The proposal is not the first time Malala has publicly backed Sifuna for a leading position in the opposition ahead of the 2027 election.
In July, Malala said he would not support a united opposition ticket unless Sifuna was included in the top leadership arrangement.
He also argued that the Luhya community should receive a prominent position in the opposition’s presidential plans.
His latest remarks now shift the focus from whether Sifuna should feature in the opposition ticket to the political party through which he could make a presidential run.
Khalwale, on his part, has also been vocal about Sifuna’s political ambitions.
Last month, the Kakamega senator asked Western Kenya leaders to rethink their political positions and rally behind Sifuna.
Khalwale said he was working to bring Luhya leaders together ahead of the 2027 contest, putting him in broad agreement with Malala over Sifuna’s potential role.
Khalwale backs Sifuna-Kalonzo ticket
Khalwale has gone further by supporting a possible presidential pairing between Sifuna and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
The Kakamega senator claimed that a study he attributed to Chinese researchers showed that a Sifuna-Kalonzo ticket could win 68 per cent of the vote in 2027, compared with President William Ruto’s 29 per cent.
The claim has not been independently verified, while Khalwale did not publicly name the study or explain how the figures were arrived at.
Sifuna, who is Nairobi senator and ODM Secretary-General, has increasingly become part of conversations on the shape of the opposition’s 2027 presidential campaign.
Malala’s latest appeal adds another issue to the debate, with Khalwale now being asked to provide an existing party for Sifuna rather than simply endorse his presidential ambitions.
For now, Malala has placed the decision firmly before Khalwale, asking him to demonstrate his support for Sifuna by giving up the UPM leadership and allowing the Nairobi senator to take charge of the party ahead of the 2027 race.