Bungoma Senator David Wakoli Wafula has urged President William Ruto to support National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula as the next President of the Republic of Kenya, igniting fresh debate on succession politics within the Kenya Kwanza alliance.

Speaking during a church service at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Sirisia, Bungoma County, on Sunday, July 27, 2025, Wakoli rallied the region to unite behind Wetang’ula, describing him as the rightful candidate to lead the country after Ruto.

“Waswahili usema umoja ni nguvu, utengano ni udhaifu,” Wakoli said. “Katika nchi ya Kenya, tuko mbioni na kaunti zingine kuonyesha kwamba Bungoma tunajua tunatoka wapi na tunaenda wapi. Nyinyi mtuombee tu tumshikilie Mheshimiwa William Ruto. William Ruto should be able and ready to support Papa wa Roma to be the next President of the Republic of Kenya.”

Translation: “The Swahili say unity is strength, division is weakness. In the country of Kenya, we are moving fast alongside other counties to show that Bungoma knows where it comes from and where it is going. Just pray for us so that we can stand firmly with His Excellency William Ruto. William Ruto should be able and ready to support ‘Papa wa Roma’ to be the next President of the Republic of Kenya.”

Wetang’ula shies away from politics

The remarks were made alongside Wetang’ula’s own strong message to local farmers, where he called on coffee growers to kick out corrupt cooperative officials who he claimed were robbing them of their hard-earned income.

“I called on farmers to kick out rogue cooperative officials who shamelessly steal members’ hard-earned income,” Wetang’ula said, decrying the mismanagement in Mount Elgon and Kimilili where many rely on coffee farming for their livelihoods.

He applauded the Kenya Kwanza administration’s reforms, which have raised coffee prices from Ksh 50 to Ksh 160 per kilo, and introduced fast-maturing seedlings. Still, he warned that mismanagement within cooperatives was hampering progress.

Khalwale slams Wetang’ula ambitions

However, not everyone is aligned with Wetang’ula’s apparent political ambitions.

A day earlier, on July 26, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale lashed out at Wetang’ula, accusing him of abandoning the neutrality of the Speaker’s office to play errand boy for Ruto.

“You are the first Speaker in the history of Kenya mwenye anabebwa na karani ya rais ndio waende vitu ya empowerment,” Khalwale said at a rally in Kakamega. “That is not the work of a Speaker. A Speaker is supposed to be authoritative.”

Khalwale, who has launched his own United Patriotic Movement (UPM), warned Wetang’ula against interfering in Kakamega politics, accusing him of plotting to influence local leadership from outside the county.