Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has embarked on a multi-pronged strategy to lay the ground to succeed ODM leader Raila Odinga as the joint opposition presidential candidate in 2027.
After postponing his presidential bid for 15 years, Kalonzo believes he qualifies to inherit Raila's political base and successfully challenge President William Ruto's reelection in 2027.
In his bid to once more throw his political hat into the ring, Kalonzo has changed tack and is not only aggressive but also politically combative.
Kalonzo has previously been known as a proponent of clean politics in a country replete with dirty political manoeuvres, including insults.
The one time presidential candidate under the ODM Kenya banner in 2008, has now decided to take the Kenya Kwanza administration head-on.
The agenda is to win over Raila's traditional bastions and endear himself to voters while riding on the perceived wave of disaffection sweeping parts of the country.
Kalonzo has said he will be Ruto's biggest challenger in the battle for the country's top job in 2027.
"Kenyans should, by now, be knowing who President Ruto's main challenger in 2027 is. I am the one. Even the President himself announced my bid for the top seat recently," he told The Standard.
"Nothing will stop me, not even Azimio member parties fielding candidates. Even if the presidential race is crowded I will be in there."
In what is seen as part of Kalonzo's strategy not to unsettle Raila's bases, the Wiper boss has shunned speaking negatively against the Azimio boss and instead decided to be diplomatic.
Since the last general election, Kalonzo has accompanied Raila to political and social events in Nyanza more than three times, including Oburu Odinga's 80th birthday party in Bondo.
While Kalonzo has avoided calling for Raila's open endorsement, analysts say the move is strategic to avoid being branded "somebody's project".
During Oburu's birthday party in October, Raila heaped praises on Kalonzo, saying he is the best bet for President.
“The other day, I heard President Ruto saying that he knows I will not contest and he is ready for Kalonzo. He talks about Kalonzo as if he is Kalonzo. Kalonzo is 10 times better than him, he only wants to pit us against each other," Raila said.
“Someone among us must contest. We shall stand firm with Kalonzo Musyoka.”
Raila later retracted the statements after fury from some of his allies and friction within the opposition. This was after his remarks were interpreted to mean an endorsement for Kalonzo.
Besides working closely with Raila in Azimio, Kalonzo has quietly established a presidential secretariat-although lean-to guide his 2027 bid.
At the SKM Centre, Kalonzo has hired advisers and established his own command centre that will be running his programmes in the lead up to the 2027 polls.
He has tapped some of the technocrats who worked for the Azimio presidential campaigns as part of his strategy to rebrand himself.
Kalonzo's team is working independent of Azimio, as part of his sweeping plans to establish a giant machinery to challenge President Ruto's reelection bid.
Kitui Senator Enock Wambua, a key ally of Kalonzo, said the time has come for the Wiper leader to go for the top seat.
The Senate Deputy Minority leader said Kalonzo's team will be forming a national movement that will lead his campaigns across the country.
"Kalonzo will be the Azimio-OKA presidential candidate in 2027 with the full backing of Baba Raila Odinga, President Uhuru Kenyatta and other Azimio-OKA principals," Wambua said.
The Wiper leader is also keen to have the Azimio-OKA remain united so they can field a joint candidate.
Political analyst Alexander Nyamboga told the Star that Kalonzo is likely to hit the road early for the 2027 campaigns.
“The secret for Kalonzo is about hitting the road early, scour all parts of the country and align himself with the masses who are disgruntled with the Kenya Kwanza government," he said.
Nyamboga said Kalonzo desperately needs Raila's political backing and financial resources to mount a formidable presidential campaign.
"Presidential campaigns are costly and require massive resources to traverse the country and run other operations. That is what Kalonzo needs if he will challenge Ruto," he said.
However, Kalonzo will have to contend with emerging cracks within Azimio following ambitions by other principals within the opposition outfit.
A section of Mt Kenya leaders within Azimio has formed a parallel outfit to fight for the interests of the region considered one of the country's biggest voting blocs.
The Kamwene Unity Forum led by Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua is threatening to mount aggressive campaigns across Mt Kenya to tell them about "Kenya Kwanza failures".
This is part of the strategy to win over the region and possibly front a presidential candidate in the next polls.
Signalling tough times in Azimio, Kalonzo fired a warning shot at Karua accusing her of rocking the coalition boat from within through a "selfish" caucus.
Karua has been aggressively campaigning for Mt Kenya unity under the Kamwene platform.
Kalonzo said that the group comprising Mount Kenya leaders from the Azimio coalition is a terrible political philosophy for anyone to use.
"I don't want to pass judgement on that issue but have you heard of things like dead on arrival? This thing means individualism. It's a terrible political philosophy. I would advice my friends to leave it and we stick together in Azimio," the Wiper leader said.
But Karua fired back at Kalonzo on X, saying, "What about Kamwene that scares my brother Kalonzo Musyoka that he must drag it in every conversation he has?"
Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai urged Kalonzo to shelve his 2027 presidential bid and instead support President Ruto’s reelection.
Mbai said Kalonzo should not assume he will be endorsed for the top seat in the next election.
"Just weigh yourself, you cannot compete against Raila, you cannot compete against Ruto. You can only join either of them but Raila's side is not an option since you've been there four times. Just join William Ruto for posterity,” he said.
