TSEIKURU, KITUI COUNTY — In a quiet village perched on the edge of Kitui’s dry scrubland, something stirred on Thursday that could shape Kenya’s political future. Helicopters landed, convoys rolled in, and behind closed gates, the opposition gathered.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka hosted a high-level meeting at his rural home in Tseikuru. Those in attendance included key political players across the opposition spectrum and, in a surprise to many, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Though details remain guarded, sources close to the meeting say the discussions were centred on uniting the opposition ahead of the 2027 presidential race with talk of endorsing a joint candidate to take on President William Ruto.
The guest list read like a potential Cabinet in waiting. Martha Karua, head of the NARC-Kenya party and a leading figure in the Azimio coalition, arrived with the People’s Liberation Party banner. Eugene Wamalwa of DAP-K, Justin Muturi of the Democratic Party, and former UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi were also present. Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka attended on behalf of Fred Matiang’i, the former Interior Cabinet Secretary, who is currently abroad.
The arrival of Gachagua, who touched down shortly after 11 a.m. with his wife Dorcas and a team from Mt Kenya, raised eyebrows. The former deputy president has spent recent months quietly repairing bridges across the political divide following a falling out with Ruto’s inner circle. His appearance in Kalonzo’s backyard may mark a shift not just for him, but for the broader opposition.
Building a Bloc
At stake is more than just alliances it’s the leadership of a fractured opposition that has struggled to recover since Ruto’s 2022 win. Kalonzo, who has previously played second fiddle in coalitions led by Raila Odinga, now appears to be making a strong bid for the top job.
“This is a moment for serious reflection and unity,” said a senior official in Wiper who spoke on condition of anonymity. “We’ve been divided for too long. 2027 can’t be business as usual.”
Supporters were not left out. Hundreds of locals and grassroots leaders from across Kitui County turned up in a show of support for Kalonzo, whose Eastern Kenya base remains critical in any serious national bid.
“The time for indecision is over,” said Mary Muthama, a local MCA from Mwingi. “We want one strong opposition candidate, and we believe Kalonzo is ready.”
A New Realignment?
The meeting comes just a month after Gachagua himself hosted opposition leaders at his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri another sign of shifting alliances ahead of what promises to be a fiercely contested 2027 election.
Political analyst Dr Brian Wanjala, from the University of Nairobi, says the moves suggest a “quiet but significant” realignment. “We’re seeing traditional rivals coming together with a shared understanding: Ruto is politically dominant, and beating him will require a coalition not just of parties, but of egos,” he said.
Still, it’s early days. No public declarations were made after the Tseikuru meeting, and none of the leaders offered formal remarks to the press. But the body language, the roster, and the effort to project unity suggest a strategy in motion.
The Ruto Factor
President Ruto, for his part, remains firmly in control of both Parliament and much of the country’s political machinery. His allies have dismissed opposition talks as “panicked posturing,” arguing that development not politics will win the next election.
Even so, his recent differences with Gachagua and murmurs of discontent from sections of Mt Kenya have not gone unnoticed.
As Kenya inches toward the next general election, the groundwork is clearly being laid. What began in the stillness of Tseikuru may well echo across the country in the months to come.