Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has invoked his long political partnership with the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as he intensifies his engagement with residents of Nyanza, a region that was strongly associated with the former opposition leader.

Kalonzo, who visited Bondo in Siaya County on September 27, 2026, recalled the political journey he shared with Raila over several election cycles, highlighting his support for the former Prime Minister’s presidential ambitions.

His message comes as political leaders step up activities in Nyanza ahead of the 2027 General Election, with different political formations seeking to establish relationships with voters in the region.

During his Bondo visit, Kalonzo presented himself as a long-standing political ally who remained alongside Raila through several presidential contests. He pointed to his role in the 2013 and 2017 elections, when he served as Raila’s running mate, and his decision to support Raila again in the 2022 presidential election.

Kalonzo has repeatedly referred to this history as he engages communities that had traditionally supported Raila and his political movements.

The former Vice President has argued that his association with Raila was not limited to a single election but developed over many years of political cooperation.

In Bondo, he reminded residents of the political battles he shared with Raila and said he had done what he could to help his former political partner achieve his presidential ambitions.

The remarks were part of a broader political mobilisation exercise in Nyanza by Kalonzo and other opposition leaders.

A LONG POLITICAL JOURNEY

Kalonzo and Raila became key figures in Kenya's opposition politics over more than a decade.

Their partnership became particularly visible during the 2013 General Election, when Kalonzo served as Raila's running mate under the Coalition for Reform and Democracy, commonly known as CORD.

The two leaders worked together again during the 2017 presidential election, with Kalonzo once more serving as Raila's running mate.

Following the 2017 election, their political cooperation continued, eventually becoming part of the broader opposition arrangements that culminated in the 2022 General Election.

In 2022, Kalonzo initially sought to become Raila's running mate but Raila eventually selected Martha Karua for the position. Kalonzo later returned to the Azimio campaign and supported Raila's presidential bid.

Kalonzo has described his support for Raila across the three elections as evidence of his commitment to their political partnership.

He has also spoken about disagreements that emerged during their political journey, particularly surrounding the 2022 running-mate decision.

Despite those disagreements, Kalonzo says he continued supporting Raila's presidential campaign.

THE BONDO MESSAGE

Bondo holds particular political significance because it was Raila Odinga's political home.

Kalonzo's decision to take his political mobilisation to Bondo therefore placed his long association with Raila at the centre of his message.

Reports from his visit indicate that Kalonzo spoke about his relationship with the Luo community and his political association with Raila.

He also called for the protection of what he described as Raila's political legacy.

Kalonzo's visit came shortly after President William Ruto completed an extensive tour of Nyanza, making the region an active arena for political engagement ahead of the next General Election.

During his engagements, Kalonzo was accompanied by other opposition figures, including DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi and former Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju.

Their presence highlighted efforts by opposition leaders to maintain political engagement with residents of the region.

Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju also called on Nyanza residents to receive Kalonzo as someone who had maintained a long political relationship with Raila.

SUPPORTING RAILA IN THREE ELECTIONS

Kalonzo has specifically highlighted his role in Raila's three presidential attempts in 2013, 2017 and 2022.

According to reports, he told residents that he supported Raila despite disagreements over political decisions made during their partnership.

The 2022 election was particularly significant because Kalonzo had hoped to secure the running-mate position.

Raila instead selected Karua, a decision that temporarily created tension within the Azimio coalition.

Kalonzo has previously said that he was unhappy with the decision but eventually returned to the campaign and supported Raila.

His decision to repeatedly support Raila's presidential bids is now part of the argument he is making as he seeks to strengthen his political engagement in Nyanza.

Recent reports have described his Bondo visit as part of a wider mobilisation campaign by the Ukombozi Alliance.

RAILA'S POLITICAL LEGACY

Another major theme in Kalonzo's message has been the question of Raila's political legacy.

Since Raila's death, various political leaders have spoken about the former Prime Minister's contribution to Kenya's opposition politics and democratic debate.

Kalonzo has positioned himself among those calling for the continuation of what he describes as Raila's political ideals.

During his Bondo visit, he raised concerns about what he described as attempts to compromise Raila's legacy and called for it to be protected.

For Kalonzo, the issue is also connected to his own political history with Raila.

The two leaders spent years campaigning together, negotiating political alliances and participating in opposition formations.

Their partnership therefore became one of the most visible political relationships in Kenya's opposition politics.

Kalonzo's current message seeks to remind Nyanza residents of that history as he builds his own political profile ahead of the 2027 election.

THE QUESTION OF POLITICAL SUPPORT

Kalonzo's appeal to Raila's political history comes at a time when the question of political support in Nyanza remains an important issue for several political actors.

Raila had maintained a strong political connection with the region for decades, particularly in counties such as Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori.

Kalonzo's long association with Raila gives him a history with the region, but political support is ultimately determined by voters and cannot automatically be transferred from one politician to another.

Recent reporting has highlighted this question as Kalonzo takes his political activities into Raila's traditional political base.

His strategy has therefore involved reminding residents of the years he spent working alongside Raila while also presenting his own political agenda.

The Wiper leader has also been engaging communities beyond Nyanza as part of a wider effort to build political alliances ahead of the 2027 polls.

LOOKING TOWARDS 2027

Kalonzo's current political activities come as parties and political leaders prepare for the next General Election.

The Wiper leader has previously indicated that he intends to pursue his presidential ambitions in 2027 rather than once again step aside for Raila.

In September, Kalonzo said that supporting Raila for another presidential attempt would no longer be an option for him, particularly given his own political ambitions and age.

With Raila no longer in the political contest, Kalonzo is now seeking to build his own political platform while maintaining ties with leaders and communities that worked closely with the former Prime Minister.

His Nyanza tour is therefore part of a wider political conversation about the future of opposition politics following Raila's death.

Other opposition leaders are also seeking to build alliances and mobilise support across different regions.

THE 2013, 2017 AND 2022 ELECTIONS

Kalonzo has also revisited the results and circumstances surrounding Raila's three presidential campaigns.

He has claimed that Raila won the 2013, 2017 and 2022 elections but was denied victory. These are Kalonzo's political claims and should be distinguished from the officially declared presidential results for those elections.

His repeated references to those elections demonstrate how central the political partnership with Raila remains to his current messaging.

The history includes both cooperation and disagreements, particularly over coalition arrangements and leadership positions.

Nevertheless, Kalonzo has continued to describe Raila as a political ally whom he supported through successive presidential campaigns.

A NEW POLITICAL CHAPTER

Kalonzo's outreach to Nyanza marks a new chapter in a political relationship that lasted for more than a decade.

With Raila gone, Kalonzo is seeking to establish his own political identity while continuing to refer to the political journey they shared.

His message to Nyanza residents has largely focused on loyalty, friendship and the years they spent working together.

Whether that history will translate into political support is ultimately a matter for voters, political organisations and the alliances that emerge before the 2027 election.

For now, Kalonzo's engagements in Bondo and other parts of Nyanza show that the region remains an important part of the country's evolving political landscape.

As the 2027 election approaches, the competition for political alliances and voter support is expected to intensify across the country.

Kalonzo's appeal is centred on his record of standing alongside Raila in successive presidential contests and his call for the former Prime Minister's political legacy to be remembered.

His message also reflects the changing nature of opposition politics following Raila's death, with established leaders seeking to build new relationships while drawing on the political histories they shared with him.

The coming months will provide more clarity on how political parties position themselves, how alliances develop and how voters across Nyanza and other parts of Kenya respond to the different political messages presented to them.