For 15 years, Kalonzo Musyoka’s political bargain at the national table was simple: deliver Ukambani as a bloc, and demand a top seat in return. That bargain helped deliver him the Vice Presidency, two runs as Raila Odinga’s running mate, and the title of Ukambani kingpin. But in 2027, the question is whether Kalonzo still controls enough of the region to use it as a bargaining chip. Developments in Kitui, Makueni and Machakos suggest that the old bloc is beginning to fragment. The national squeeze After Raila Odinga’s death, Kalonzo appeared positioned to inherit the opposition mantle and enter 2027 as the leading alternative to President William Ruto. Instead, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has built a powerful anti-government movement, while former ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has emerged as a strong urban and youth opposition voice. Kalonzo is therefore no longer the automatic heir to Raila’s political space. That weakness is increasingly being tested at home. Three challengers, three different offers In Kitui, NLP Party Leader Dr. Augustus Kyalo Muli is pushing an Empowerment Model built around youth, women, boda boda riders, enterprise training and market access. His strategy is simple: empower people at the grassroots rather than ask them to wait for political change from Nairobi. In Makueni, Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse is offering a different propositi...
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