Hassan Omar: It’s hard to sell Kalonzo beyond Ukambani
By Mabonga Makhanu, November 28, 2025United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Hassan Omar has launched a scathing attack on Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, saying it is difficult to sell him beyond the Ukambani region.
Speaking at the UDA party headquarters while celebrating the party’s outstanding performance in the recently concluded by-elections on Friday, November 28, 2025, he stated that Kalonzo, who appears to be the face of the United Opposition, could secure only a single seat in the by-elections—the Mumbini Ward seat—despite having presidential ambitions.
He further said that while serving as Secretary General of the Wiper Party, he realised that it was very difficult to expand the former Vice President’s support beyond the Ukambani region.
This, he added, was evidenced by the single ward-level seat the United Opposition won in the by-elections.
“I used to be Wipers’ secretary general. It’s difficult to grow Kalonzo beyond Ukambani; he has gotten only one seat in Mumbini North. He has held his people captive in the quest for his ambition,” Omar said.
Shifting focus to former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi, who has been put forward by his Jubilee Party to vie for the presidency, he noted that Matiangi managed to secure three ward seats in his Kisii backyard.
According to him, these wins were largely due to sympathy from local voters, aimed at avoiding embarrassment for Matiangi. Failing to clinch these seats, he argued, would have weakened Matiangi’s position when negotiating with United Opposition principals.
He went on to state that the United Opposition has no clear agenda and is driven by tribalism, with its formation lacking a national outlook.
He argued that the by-elections vindicated this claim, as the United Opposition performed poorly while the broad-based government, which he described as inclusive of all Kenyans and not driven by tribal considerations, clinched the majority of the seats.
United opposition loss
The remarks come after the United Opposition lost in all parliamentary seats, including areas previously considered strongholds such as Mbeere North and Malava, despite performing fairly well in ward-level by-elections.
In Mbeere North, UDA candidate Leonard Mathende defeated Democratic Party (DP) candidate Newton Kariuki by a narrow margin of 494 votes, with Mathende securing 15,802 votes to Kariuki’s 15,308. In Malava, UDA’s David Ndakwa scooped 21,564 votes, defeating Seth Panyako of the Eugene Wamala-led Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K), who garnered 20,210 votes.
The DCP party won three ward seats, including Narok Town, Kisia East, and Kariobangi North, while former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi won all Kisii by-elections, surpassing candidates backed by the broad-based government; the same was with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka in Ukambani.
The United Opposition has blamed its losses on what it described as heavy government machinery and voter bribery, which reportedly secured narrow wins for the ruling coalition.