Twice last year, I implored upon former vice-president Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka to vigorously stamp his credentials on the political market for consideration by the electorate in the presidential contest.

Politically, for Kalonzo, 2024 started with him being invited as the chief guest at a fete marking the 80th birthday of Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, the elder brother of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at their rural Bondo home. Here, the Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) party transported everyone who matters from his community and political base, including “beautiful Kamba girls” as he himself announced.

It had been expected that the former long-serving Mwingi North MP would be endorsed by Raila to run for presidency in 2027. In fact, in his speech, Raila alluded to that. But that was not to be. Two days later Raila changed tone and stated that he had, in fact, been misquoted.

Since then, Raila has taken a 360-degree turn and opted to work with his chief nemesis in the 2022 General Election, President William Ruto and even deployed his senior party officials—dubbed experts—to join the Kenya Kwanza government as ministers, PSs and ambassadors.

I elect to revisit this biting topic. Like I stated last year, in ways far more than one, the 2027 General Election is the moment for Kalonzo to ascend to the Presidency.

No choice

But it certainly will not be easy. This Kalonzo moment requires a lot of hard work, dedication, strategic mobilisation and communication, precision, cool-headedness and, above all nationalism, tolerance, inclusiveness and open-mindedness.

Herculean task it is. But not impossible. Kalonzo must step up to the plate and stage the right challenge. After all, it is his moment. He has no choice.

As I noted last year, Senior Counsel Kalonzo, who has also previously served as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Education, happens to be the leader of a disciplined, loyal, united and focused party in the country to date. He can also be counted among the few public figures whose integrity has not been consumed by graft, immorality, hatred and ethnic bigotry.

A well-measured character, Kalonzo exemplifies humility, respect and decorum to an admirable status. He towers far above many in his generation.

However, all these positives will not hand Kalonzo the Presidency in 2027. He has to fold his sleeves and go to the offensive. There is not even the slightest of indications that Raila, whom he has supported in the elections will back him in his next presidential bid. And that is where the hard work commences.

Kalonzo ran for President in 2007 and came third behind Mwai Kibaki (now late) and Raila. He, however, turned around quickly to team up with Kibaki to become his principal assistant following that year’s chaos triggered by the disputed election results, which gave Kibaki an edge over Raila.

At the moment, the Opposition house is not in order. There are also no signs it is eager to straighten its way of doing things any time soon.

Imagination

That is worrying at a time Kenyans in their millions want change. However, the Opposition does not seem to realise this matter and it’s urgency in totality. The obvious outcome of this state of affairs will be Ruto’s landslide return to the House on the Hill.

This is where Kalonzo comes in. I insist one year later that the Opposition as presently composed has Kalonzo as it’s first, second, third and fourth options in its bid to unseat Ruto.

Any other imagination outside those parentheses would be stretching luck too far. Matters would have been easier for Kalonzo were he to secure the solid support of Raila and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.

That wish is not assured at the moment, if recent events surrounding the politics of the two Statesmen is anything to go by. More effort will, therefore, have to be put in.

More so because though Kalonzo commands unwavering support from his Ukambani backyard, the numbers from his community do not give him a headstart. Which is why he must nationalise his campaigns topicalise his agenda far above and beyond ethnicity.

By now, Kalonzo must have realised there is a deliberate drive by his political rivals to isolate the Kikuyu community from the rest of Kenya. This Parochial move has brazenly been stated in public more than once. Kalonzo must be the leader who takes the gauntlet and denounce all forms of ethnic division, hatred and prejudice against any community, race, religion, age or gender in Kenya.

Kalonzo must be the leader who offers hope and dignity to the youths. He must be the leader who opens doors for merit and cultural diversity. He must, therefore, get his act in order quite early.

Truth is that he is the only credible candidate who can convincingly take on and trounce incumbent Ruto. But he must earn that opportunity, obvious as it might be.

He should embrace the younger generation (largely composed of Gen-Zs), not as their pedagogue but as a companion in the quest. He should present himself as the first-among-equals and vigorously drive the cause for reforms unflinchingly.

Rebellion

At the grassroots level, Kalonzo is a steady steward in his Ukambani backyard. Ever since forming his party, Kalonzo has never been a victim of internal rebellion. If anything, he has a compact set of energetic selfless foot soldiers in the persons of Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti, Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr, Makueni senator Dan Maanzo as well as Kathiani MP Robert Mbui.

Let Kalonzo be reminded there are eight million registered voters who did not take part in the 2022 General Election. Most of them fall in the Gen-Z bracket. That number is higher than the votes either Ruto or Raila got in the contest.

In addition to that, there are another five million eligible Kenyans who did not register to vote. That brings the number to a whopping 13 million voters in Kenya who do not subscribe to the politics of the 2022 presidential candidates.

What is more, there is a likelihood five million more Kenyans will have attained voting age by the time of the next elections. That makes it 18 million floating votes Kalonzo should be hunting for, in addition to an estimated three million in his Ukambani backyard. Thus, Kalonzo should be targeting the other millions of votes in the 2027 election.

He has to identify where the missing millions are and identify with them, their aspirations, hopes and dreams.

That is how he will make it. Not through ethnic mobilisation and isolation, not through religious mobilisation and isolation, not through gender mobilisation and isolation. Not through insults. Not through age segregation. There is a general assumption that Ruto’s popularity has slumped since the last elections. That could be true at the moment. Ruto has voluminous governance and economic management matters to deal with. I may have been prophetic last year when I asked what would be the situation if Raila elected to have a handshake with Ruto ahead of the 2027. That has come to pass.

The race for presidency

Which is why Kalonzo has to toil 24/7. Let him move to every corner of this country to market himself. Of course there are tens of qualified Kenyans out there who too want to try their hand in the race for Precidency.

That is their constitutional right. They should be encouraged to exercise that democratic right. But let them be cautioned that the more they contest the more fodder they turn the Opposition for Ruto to devour in 2027. Reason must prevail. Pretending to sideline, ignore or place Kalonzo on the periphery once more is another sure of refusing, again, to accept the reality. Let Kalonzo be allowed to be the leader of the pack. That is how the Opposition will grab victory in 2027.