Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and former Kibwezi East MP Philip Kaloki are embroiled in a bitter political war. Kaloki was the running mate of Polycarp Igathe in the Nairobi gubernatorial contest in the just concluded general election. The Kalonzo/Kaloki political wars began way back in 2013 when Kaloki won the Wiper Party ticket to run for the Makueni gubernatorial seat in what Wiper insiders say was against Kalonzo’s wish.
Sources divulged that Kalonzo secretly campaigned against Kaloki while supporting the Muungano candidate Prof. Kivutha Kibwana. Kibwana won with 146,760 votes against Kaloki’s 79,615 votes. This did not go down well with Kaloki who confided in his allies that he will revenge on Kalonzo. During the Makueni senatorial by-election, Kaloki defected from Wiper to Jubilee Party where he was given a direct ticket to run against Wiper’s Mutula Kilonzo Jnr who eventually won. It was during the campaigns that Kalonzo and Kaloki traded accusations.
During one of the campaign rallies, Kalonzo questioned Kaloki’s educational background and went on to accuse Kaloki of auctioning the Kamba community to their rivals (Jubilee). In 2017, Kalonzo again campaigned against Kaloki for the Kibwezi East parliamentary seat which he lost.
In the run to the last general elections, Kaloki had set eyes on the Makueni gubernatorial seat, however, there were behind the scene lobbying to have a key Kalonzo ally, Mutula Kilonzo Jnr fly the Wiper ticket.
Sources say Kaloki had opted to run on a Jubilee Party ticket which was an affiliate of Azimio Coalition. However, Kalonzo is said to have protested bitterly against the move and that is how he ended up being shifted to Nairobi.
Sources privy to how the deals were cut revealed that it was then President Uhuru Kenyatta who told Kalonzo that since Wiper had been allocated running mate’s position in the gubernatorial race for Nairobi, Kalonzo must agree to offer Kaloki the slot.
Having lost the bid to be Nairobi’s deputy governor, Kaloki’s strategists gave him the option of running for the speaker of the Makueni County Assembly. Upon declaring his interest, Kalonzo threw the spanner to work in a move that was to clip Kaloki’s political wings once and for all
Sources divulged that Kalonzo agreed to the deal though reluctantly and Kaloki was named Mr Igathe’s running mate. Kalonzo’s allies are said to have urged him that since Kaloki was in a supremacy war with him, getting him out of Ukambani politics was the best option.
Having lost the bid to be Nairobi’s deputy governor, Kaloki’s strategists gave him the option of running for the speaker of the Makueni County Assembly. Upon declaring his interest, Kalonzo threw the spanner to work in a move that was to clip Kaloki’s political wings once and for all.
Kalonzo and his allies were made to understand that if Kaloki won the speaker’s post, he will undermine Governor Mutula Kilonzo since he enjoyed almost half of the MCa in the county assembly. Kalonzo and Mutula are said to have spent a substantial amount of money to woo MCAs to elect Douglas Mbilu who is a close Kalonzo ally. Mbilu garnered 25 votes against Kaloki’s 22 votes, during the second round of voting. The race was so tight that had Kalonzo and Mutula Jnr did not take up the campaigns against Kaloki then he could have defeated Mbilu.
Kaloki and his allies are said to be very bitter with Kalonzo for throwing Kaloki to political oblivion. Kaloki who is yet to announce his next political move is said to have vowed to relocate to Makueni to prepare for the 2027 elections.
