National Liberal Party (NLP) leader Dr Augustus Kyalo MuliNational Liberal Party (NLP) leader Dr Augustus Kyalo Muli has called on Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka to spearhead a unity pact among Ukambani leaders ahead of the 2027 General Election.
He has argued that political fragmentation has continued to weaken the region’s bargaining power for decades.
In an open letter addressed to Kalonzo, Muli dismissed claims that he was aligned to President William Ruto or acting on behalf of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, maintaining that his political agenda was solely focused on the interests of the Kamba community.
“I am not Ruto’s proxy. I am not Gachagua’s messenger. I am Ukambani’s insurance policy,” Muli stated in the strongly worded letter.
The NLP leader warned that Gachagua’s frequently repeated political assertion that “five million can’t support three million” should not be dismissed as mere rhetoric, but understood as a calculated strategy designed to lock out smaller voting blocs from national power-sharing arrangements.
“It is not an insult. It is a strategy. And it has worked against us for 60 years because we walk to the negotiation table divided and weak,” Muli wrote.
He urged Kalonzo to champion what he termed the “Ukambani Unity Pact 2027,” saying the region risks remaining politically marginalized if leaders continue entering national coalitions without a unified agenda.
According to Muli, Ukambani’s estimated two million votes have historically been “leased out” to larger political formations every election cycle, only for the region to receive little in return after elections.
“A divided Ukambani is two million votes that others lease every five years. A united Ukambani is the seed of a five million vote bloc that can finally deliver a Kamba to State House,” he said.
Muli revisited previous election cycles to illustrate what he described as recurring political disappointments for the region.
“1997: We gave votes. We got dust. 2013: We gave votes. Our dams stalled. 2017: We gave votes. We got hunger. 2022: We gave votes. We got promises. And unless we unite this time, 2027 will not be any different, no matter who the candidate is,” he warned.
Under the proposed unity pact, Muli called for the establishment of a common development agenda centred on water projects, roads, irrigation, jobs and market access, with all projects being costed and tied to clear timelines.
He also proposed the formation of a nine-member negotiating council composed of representatives from political parties, elders, youth, women, clergy, professionals and diaspora communities to oversee negotiations and ensure accountability among leaders.
“Any leader who cuts a side deal is answerable to the community. The era of ‘I was called to State House’ ends. We were all called to poverty. That is the only call we answer now,” he wrote.
Muli acknowledged Kalonzo’s longstanding influence in Ukambani politics, but challenged the former Vice President to move beyond traditional leadership and unite the region politically.
“You have carried Ukambani for over three decades. We honour you for that. But carrying Ukambani and uniting Ukambani are two different assignments. The first made you our elder. The second can give us the presidency,” he stated.
The NLP leader further argued that Gachagua’s political posture stemmed from lessons learned after his fallout with President Ruto, saying the former deputy president now understands the value of consolidated voting blocs.
“Gachagua is a man already bitten once by a snake. He was played by Ruto. He delivered Mount Kenya, then was discarded. A man who has been used builds firewalls. But Gachagua also understands power in numbers. He respects five million. Let’s build five million together and test that firewall as one people,” Muli wrote.
The open letter was also copied to the Kamba Council of Elders, the Kamba Professionals Forum, diaspora groups and several media houses.
