Kalonzo bets on North Eastern votes in 2027 race

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Led by Kalonzo, the leaders promised to take the opposition campaign to every corner of the North Eastern region as he seeks to consolidate support ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Kalonzo, who is positioning himself for another stab at the presidency, said the reception he received in Garissa indicated that residents were yearning for political change.

He dismissed claims by his political detractors that the opposition would not be welcomed in Garissa, saying his presence in the town had contradicted those assertions.

“We are overwhelmed by the kind of support and welcome that we have received in Garissa today. This is a clear indicator that Kenyans are tired of this government and want change.”

He appealed to residents to back his presidential bid, arguing that the region has a critical role to play in determining who will occupy State House.

Under Kenya’s presidential election rules, a candidate must secure at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in at least 24 counties in addition to winning the highest number of votes nationally to be declared president.

“I am relying on Garissa to be one of those counties that will deliver this,” Kalonzo said.

He also sought to clarify the position of Kenyans originally from Kitui, Mwingi and other parts of the country who are registered as voters in Garissa, urging them to exercise their democratic right from the county they call home.

“For residents from Kitui, Mwingi and other parts of the country who are registered as voters here in Garissa, this is where you call home and this is where you will vote,” he said.

Kalonzo also promised to prioritise water provision in North Eastern if elected, questioning why the region continues to experience water shortages despite the presence of the Tana River.

“I will make sure that the issue of water is sorted. This region cannot continue suffering from lack of water while we have River Tana flowing around us,” he said.

The former Vice President further linked Kenya’s security and stability to peace in neighbouring Somalia, promising to make regional peace a priority of his administration.

“I want to assure the people of North Eastern that if elected president, I will be at the forefront of pushing for peace and stability in Somalia because without peace there, we cannot have peace in Kenya,” Kalonzo said.

“Once that country is peaceful, then as a region and a country, we are sorted.”

He also promised to pursue national unity, saying Kenya’s ethnic diversity should not stand in the way of a shared national destiny.

“As president, I will strive to make sure that we are one united country who share a common

Embakasi South MP Julius Mawathe challenged the government to stop presenting basic services as political achievements.

“Let this government not lie to you that it has done anything for the people of North Eastern because if it is about getting ID cards, it is your constitutional right,” Mawathe said.

His remarks appeared to refer to the government's decision to scrap the additional vetting process previously required for residents of parts of North Eastern seeking national identification documents.

Nyali MP Mohamed Ali said opposition parties had reached a consensus to rally behind Kalonzo's presidential bid, describing the Garissa tour as part of a broader effort to build a formidable opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 polls.

“We have in one accord as opposition unanimously decided to support Kalonzo Musyoka for the presidency,” Mohamed Ali said.

DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa declared that the opposition had formally begun its journey towards the 2027 elections, describing the Garissa rally as part of a wider national mobilisation campaign.

“We have started our journey towards liberating this country,” Wamalwa said.

He cited what he described as a recent survey indicating widespread dissatisfaction with the administration.

“A survey that was recently conducted showed that 76 per cent of Kenyans are dissatisfied with this government. The majority of Kenyans are fed up with this government,” he said.

Wamalwa also warned that the looming rains could expose Garissa and other flood-prone areas to serious risks if the government fails to act early.

“We have already been told that El Niño is coming. Garissa and Madogo are among the areas that are always affected the most by floods,” he said.