Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has announced that he will run for president in 2027, saying the opposition is working to form a strong coalition to challenge President William Ruto in next year’s polls.
Speaking in a Citizen TV interview, the Wiper Party leader said he received the green light in October last year and has since been preparing himself for the race.
“I am running for President. I was given the mandate on October 10 last year to seek the high office, and prayerfully, we have accepted and are ready for it psychologically. I believe we have the support of the Kenyan people, who want change,” Kalonzo said.
“I expect my colleagues to give me that respect. If they do, William Ruto will be a one-term president, and he knows it,” he added.
On whether this is his final attempt at the presidency after several unsuccessful bids, Kalonzo dismissed the notion, saying that if elected, he would scrap some of Ruto’s policies.
“Executive Order Number One: the housing levy will go, along with other taxes that make Kenya unattractive. You cannot go to Singapore with the level of corruption we have in this country,” he said.
Kalonzo also defended his record as Vice President under the late Mwai Kibaki, saying Kenyans had “money in their pockets” during that period.
“Under Kibaki, Kenyans had money in their pockets. The bottom-up model under William Ruto is upside down; everyone is complaining. We intend to restore good order and constitutionalism. It will be a country run under the rule of law. It is time the country tried a lawyer to sort out the mess,” he said.
The Wiper leader further urged President Ruto to prepare for the possibility of losing the next election, noting he would not be the first to do so.
“I encourage William Ruto to begin preparing himself for the possibility of an election loss; he will not be the first. He should be ready to accept the outcome,” he added.
Kalonzo is part of the United Alternative Government, considered Kenya’s official opposition.
He is working with other leaders, including PLP’s Martha Karua, Jubilee Party’s Fred Matiang’i, DAP-K’s Eugene Wamalwa, DCP’s Rigathi Gachagua, and DP’s Justin Muturi to form a national outfit aimed at challenging the ruling Kenya Kwanza government in next year's polls.
He reiterated that the country needs a working government that delivers for its citizens.
“What this country needs is not just opposition; it is a system that works and delivers the best for its people. We will find a formula, but the priority is to make William Ruto a one-term president,” he said.
