Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka has issued a sharp warning to President William Ruto, accusing him of laying the groundwork to rig the 2027 General Election through the controversial reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Speaking during a funeral ceremony in Kathangu, Tesikuru, Kitui County, where mourners gathered to celebrate the life of 105-year-old David Mburu Mairu, Kalonzo claimed that the selection of the IEBC chairman and commissioners was part of a larger scheme to manipulate the electoral process.
“Rigging is not an event, it is a process,” said Kalonzo.
“And we are already seeing what Ruto wants to do with the way the IEBC is being restructured. Our international friends are aware and watching closely.”
The Wiper Party leader was accompanied by an influential political delegation, including Governors Julius Malombe (Kitui) and Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos), Senators Enoch Wambua (Kitui) and Agnes Kavindu (Machakos), and Kitui Woman Representative Irene Kasalu.
In a show of solidarity with embattled leaders, Kalonzo defended both Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, who is currently facing corruption charges linked to alleged irregular financial dealings.
“Gov. Natembeya, DAP-Kenya, take heart. There is no case to answer,” Kalonzo said.
“Mr. Ruto, stop trying to weaponize the EACC. We see through these schemes aimed at silencing political opponents.”
Natembeya was arrested and spent a night in custody before being released on Sh500,000 bail.
His arrest has stirred political tensions, with opposition leaders alleging state-sponsored intimidation of vocal county chiefs.
Interestingly, Kalonzo also threw his support behind Gachagua, a former rival-turned-critic of Ruto’s administration, in what appears to be a strategic political alignment against growing centralization of power.
“Even Gachagua is now a target,” Kalonzo noted.
“When you start turning on your own deputy and governors, it shows fear and desperation.”
Kalonzo’s remarks underscore mounting opposition concerns about the conduct of key institutions ahead of the 2027 polls, and a renewed push to rally around embattled political figures facing legal or political pressure from the state.
