Opposition splits forces in by-election battle with Ruto

THE United Opposition has split its campaign teams in a last-ditch offensive against President William Ruto’s camp ahead of next week’s by-elections.

The opposition team is framing the mini-polls as a referendum on Ruto’s leadership, setting the stage for a charged finish.

In what appears to be a change of strategy, the opposition camp is focused on three constituencies as they seek to prove a point months before the 2027 general elections.

The three elective seats are Malava, Magarini and Mbeere North constituencies.

To win the seats, the opposition team has split its campaign strategy, deploying one principal to camp in each of the three electoral units.

DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua has pitched camp in Mbeere North, leading a fierce grassroots mobilisation drive for DAP-K candidate Newton Kariuki against UDA’s Leonard Muriuki.

Gachagua has been in the constituency since Sunday.

At the Coast, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DCP deputy party leader Cleophas Malala and DAP-K boss Eugene Wamalwa will spend two days combing through Magarini, rallying voters to send a message to the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Stanley Kenga, the DCP candidate, is engaged in a tight race against ODM’s Harry Kombe.

The teams will then converge in Malava, Kakamega county for a joint, last-minute charge to win the constituency.

Gachagua and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki are locked in an intense battle for supremacy in the larger Mt Kenya, in the final stretch of campaigns for the Mbeere North parliamentary seat, in what has emerged as one of the fiercest tests of political strength in the region.

Gachagua on Tuesday declared he would remain in the constituency until victory is secured on November 28.

“For the next nine days, I am on the ground, listening and engaging the people of Mbeere North… I am with the villagers every step of the way, one by one, home by home, village by village in a motive to liberate one nation, Kenya,” he said.

Earlier, Kindiki made a similar announcement, saying he wouldn’t be leaving until after the election.

“Today I have arrived in Mbeere North and I will be here every day until November 28. I will leave this place when I take Leo Muthende to Parliament,” Kindiki said on Monday.

Gachagua is framing the contest as a fight against ‘state intimidation’ and has accused security agencies of attempts to tilt the race in favour of UDA.

In Magarini, Kalonzo, who is leading the charge, called on the locals to vote in the joint opposition candidate to send a message to the Ruto administration that their time is up.

“As a united opposition, we have come to drum up support for our candidate and have him as the people’s defender in the National Assembly,” Kalonzo said.

Kenga successfully petitioned the election of ODM’s Kombe and the apex court nullified the result in a landmark ruling delivered in June last year.

On Friday, the opposition teams will take the show to Malava, in support of Seth Panyako. Panyako, who is vying on the DAP-K ticket, is in a race with the ruling party’s David Ndakwa.

The Malava seat fell vacant following the death of then-MP Malulu Injendi.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

With the clock ticking, the United Opposition is framing the mini-polls as a referendum on Ruto’s leadership, setting the stage for a charged finish. The elections will be held on Thursday next week.