EXPLAINER: Why Kalonzo Musyoka skipped Mashujaa Day celebrations in Kitui

His absence was, however, not a surprise, as he had stated publicly that he won’t join President William Ruto at the Ithookwe Stadium in Kitui town.

According to the presidential hopeful, his presence at the national event could have been used to show that he was warming up to the Kenya Kwanza administration, yet he has described himself as a loyal opposition servant to the people.

“We have fundamental differences with the manner in which the country is run. Attending the event would be misinterpreted as an endorsement of Ruto’s bad leadership,” the Wiper leader told journalists recently.

The Wiper Patriotic Front leader, who is seeking to oust President Ruto in the 2027 elections, is keen to build and maintain a perception that he is a formidable force who can be endorsed by the joint opposition to make Ruto a one-term president. 

Kenya Kwanza leaders have in the past indicated their desire to have Ruto work with Kalonzo but the Wiper leader has rebuffed the suggestions and is thus seeking to limit any appearance with Dr. Ruto. 

The Mashujaa Day celebrations, held on Monday, October 20, were presided over by President Ruto and attended by foreign dignitaries and top government officials, including Cabinet Secretaries, but were largely skipped by the Wiper Party boss and his allies from the region.

Kalonzo hails from Tseikuru in Mwingi North, Kitui County, and served as one of the longest-serving Mwingi North MPs, having joined Parliament in 1985 to 2013.

Observers see Kalonzo’s absence as tactical, given that his presence could have given the government side an opportunity to woo him to their side before a crowd in his home turf.

“Defiance is the selling point. His (Kalonzo’s) absence was strategic, and he may have scored politically by being seen to have defied the state,” former cabinet secretary Moses Kuria said.

According to Kitui Senator Enock Wambua, who also skipped the event, Kalonzo had no reason to grace the event even if it was held in his home county.

As a principled man, Wambua said, his party boss has never attended any of the national holidays presided over by President Ruto and yesterday’s event was not any different.

“Kalonzo is not just a leader of Kitui but a national leader, and so the Mashujaa event did not get any more significance just because it’s in Kitui. He is not a local leader. He didn’t attend the previous ones; why would he attend this one?

“This was a state function presided over by the president and attendant protocols. I was never invited to the function, and if I was to play host, some leaders would be consulted on the event. I was not consulted, and clearly, I was not wanted since I had no role to play,” Wambua added.

Kibwezi East MP Jessica Mbalu explains that her party leader had no reason to attend the event since it was a national holiday.

"My party leader was still mourning Raila who he has walked with for the longest time and had no reason to show up. This was a national celebration,” Ms Mbalu added.  

However, speaking on NTV on Tuesday morning, government spokesman Isaac Mwaura said Mashujaa Day was a public event that did not require any invitation.  

“This is an open event for everyone. This is an open invitation specifically for those who are in parliament. There is always an automatic invitation to them. Let's not make it look like some people were uninvited there,” Maura said.

The government spokesman added; “Let us put politics aside; this was a very important national event, and there was no reason to bar any leader from attending the event especially when the government chose to centre the celebrations in honour of our fallen hero Raila Odinga, for the sake of unity.”

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei scolded Kalonzo for skipping the event: "Kalonzo skipping the Mashujaa Day national celebrations was unpatriotic to the country, yet all of Ukambani are attending in mammoth crowds."

President Ruto’s adviser on Constitutional Affairs, Makau Mutua, is also among those who have criticised some Kitui leaders who failed to attend Mashujaa Day.

“All the senior Kitui leaders, including those on the side opposite, ought to have attended the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Ithookwe Stadium… to join President William Ruto in honouring the Rt Hon Raila, who loved Kitui and visited often,” Prof Makau said.