Former Machakos senator Johnstone Muthama has slammed Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka, dismissing his approach to the 2027 elections as tribal.

Speaking in Kwale on Monday, December 15, 2025, Muthama stated that Kalonzo must rethink his strategy if he stands any chance of becoming Kenya’s president.

The former Machakos Senator specifically urged the former party boss to abandon what he termed a tribal strategy of relying on votes from specific regions.

‘Kalonzo must change tact’

According to Muthama, Kenyan politics has moved beyond the narrow lens of tribalism and sectarianism, and Kalonzo needs to wake up to that reality.

“He (Kalonzo) needs to change his mindset and understand that Kenya is far bigger than tribal politics. Votes from the Kikuyu or Kamba communities alone cannot get him the presidency. He needs prayers for God to open his eyes to the best strategy for rising to the presidency,” he said.

In a veiled jibe at Kalonzo’s associates in the United Opposition, Muthama expressed doubts on the eligibility and suitability of the politicians.

“I pray that God will give us a president who will unite Kenyans. Ruto could be a tribal leader, but he has not engaged in tribal politics or displayed his tribal side. Yet look at the others—they keep talking about having secured the voting bases from Mt Kenya to wherever, but they cannot even win elections if they are left to contest alone,” he posited.

Muthama’s sentiments come after former MP Ngunjiri Wambugu faulted Kalonzo over his choice of political friends.

Wambugu’s criticism of Kalonzo

In a series of posts on Facebook on Sunday, December 14, 2025, Wambugu argued that Kalonzo’s current political troubles were largely driven by the company he has chosen to keep over the past year.

According to him, the Wiper leader has never generated nationwide excitement but has also rarely attracted coordinated national attacks. That, however, has now changed.

“Now he is attracting focused attacks not due to his own mistakes, but because of just one new friend he has gotten in the last year,” Wambugu said.

He further alleged that Gachagua’s critics in the region were now more determined to fight Kalonzo as part of a broader political project.