Wiper Party Leader is on a mission to present himself as the best presidential candidate for the Opposition, even as jostling within the ranks of leaders opposed to President William Ruto's administration grows.
Kalonzo has been rallying fellow Opposition leaders to back his bid based on his long experience in leadership and ability to attract national support.
To bolster his presidential intentions, Kalonzo went ahead to unveil a 13-point presidential agenda that he says will restore good governance, revive the economy and improve the lives of ordinary Kenyans if elected to power.
The agenda, which has been published online, outlines Kalonzo's vision for the country and seeks to rally Kenyans behind what he describes as a transformative national movement anchored on constitutionalism, accountability and inclusive development.
Kalonzo said the framework was designed to address the challenges facing the country while laying the foundation for sustainable growth and prosperity.
"This is a comprehensive policy framework anchored on the restoration of good governance, the rule of law and constitutionalism, charting a clear path toward a secure, productive and inclusive Kenya," said Kalonzo.
At the heart of the agenda is a commitment to protect human rights and civil liberties. Kalonzo pledged to guarantee the rights and freedoms of all citizens while rebuilding a culture of tolerance and respect for dissenting views.
The former Vice President also places the fight against corruption high on his list of priorities, promising to audit public programmes, recover stolen public funds and eliminate the misuse of state resources.
Under the banner "Komesha Ufisadi," Kalonzo said his administration would take decisive measures to ensure accountability in government and channel recovered resources into development projects that benefit citizens.
Addressing the high cost of living, which remains a major concern for many households, Kalonzo promised to implement an economic recovery programme aimed at reducing taxes on basic goods and services while creating jobs and supporting wage growth.
Despite Kalonzo's unwavering commitment to access support from his contemporaries, Opposition leaders are not at ease on how to come up with a single candidate. What is, however, clear to all of them is that the only way to unseat Ruto is to forge unity.
Beneath the constant calls for solidarity, simmering disputes over leadership, coalition structure and the formula for selecting a joint presidential candidate are exposing fault lines that could fracture the alliance even before it fully takes shape.
The latest signs of strain emerged after People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua proposed that the opposition settle on a joint presidential candidate through scientific opinion polls.
While the position aligns with Jubilee presidential aspirant Fred Matiang’i’s stance, it contrasts with camps allied to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Kalonzo and Gachagua’s allies are understood to favour a negotiated political settlement anchored on coalition bargaining, regional voting strength and consensus-building rather than a purely data-driven process.
The different stances are viewed as yet another internal test facing the opposition alliance as leaders seek to avoid the divisions that have historically weakened attempts to unseat incumbents in Kenya.
Further complicating the political equation is the emergence of the Linda Mwananchi camp associated with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo and a section of leaders allied to ODM, Wiper and affiliate parties.
While both camps have publicly maintained that they remain committed to working together against Ruto, insiders acknowledge that no formal framework currently exists to manage competing interests, ambitions and ideological differences in the broader opposition movement.
The absence of clear coalition structures and agreed mechanisms for handling succession politics is now raising anxiety in opposition ranks.
In the clearest public acknowledgement yet of the coalition’s internal struggles, United Opposition spokesperson Mukhisa Kituyi admitted that rivalries, weak organisational structures and personal ambition were threatening to destabilise the alliance.
Kituyi warned that public confidence in the opposition could erode if leaders fail to institutionalise unity beyond public declarations and political rallies.
“There’s growing public pressure that nobody should walk away from the table,” Kituyi said.
However, he added, “There is insufficient development of the mechanics of keeping everybody at the table.”
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