Didmus Barasa: Kalonzo, step aside you represent the past
By Faith Lagat, September 7, 2025Kimilili Member of Parliament (MP) Didmus Barasa has intensified his political rhetoric, calling on Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka to step aside from the national stage.
In a statement posted on X on September 7, 2025, Barasa described Musyoka as a leader of “yesterday’s politics”, urging him to pave the way for a new generation.
“Senior @skmusyoka, you represent the past; you are yesterday’s! Make way!” he declared.
Barasa, who has announced his bid for the Bungoma gubernatorial seat in 2027, positioned his appeal as part of a broader campaign to reshape the region’s political landscape. He claimed his growing influence resonates more with voters, contrasting it with Musyoka’s perceived decline.
Grassroots mobilisation
Speaking during recent rallies across Bungoma County, Barasa underlined his reliance on direct voter support as his source of strength.
“Nguvu yangu inatoka kwa wananchi ambao watanipigia kura, sio kwa mikono yangu mwenyewe,” he told supporters, urging them to back his gubernatorial bid.
He further appealed to political actors to stop creating hurdles in his path, saying he intended to run a consultative campaign.
“Ninaomba ya kwamba wale ambao wanaweka roadblocks kwa barabara yangu, wenye wananipangia mabaya, waache,” he said.
On August 13, 2025, in Kabuchai Constituency, Barasa dismissed criticism from rivals who questioned his political approach. He urged local leaders who had endorsed other candidates to “leave me to do my politics my own way,” stressing his focus on consolidating grassroots support rather than engaging in political spats.
Clash with Lusaka
Barasa’s rivalry with Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka has added to the charged atmosphere ahead of the 2027 elections.
He accused Lusaka of relying on financial strength to intimidate opponents but insisted he remained undeterred. “My friend Lusaka also thinks he has loads of cash to threaten me. I have been an MP for eight years now, and I equally know much,” Barasa said during one of his rallies.
The Kimilili legislator has also positioned himself as a challenger to other established political figures, including Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi and former Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati.
He has expressed confidence in succeeding Lusaka, whose second term ends in 2027, declaring, “Hii kiti ya governor ya Bungoma naweza, niendelee mbele?”