Kalonzo, Gachagua power play drove us to Matiang’i — Kioni

Secret plans by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka for a 2027 coalition pact triggered Jubilee’s endorsement of Fred Matiang’i as its man in the race for the top seat.

Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni told the Star in an exclusive interview that the duo has been sidelining former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s party in the plans, including the introduction of new partners.

The former Ndaragwa MP said on Friday that Uhuru’s party was given the cold shoulder after he raised concerns that the opposition side was gradually turning into ‘a corner for the impeached’.

The Jubilee secretary-general added that his warnings against the involvement of the likes of Gachagua, former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and Mike Sonko as frontliners in opposition affairs were not heeded.

He claims that Kalonzo and Gachagua were cobbling a coalition arrangement with the Wiper leader as the flag bearer and either Gachagua or Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua as the running mate.

“Kalonzo and Gachagua were pushing for a coalition plan without involving us, yet we are among the largest parties in Azimio, in fact even larger than Wiper,” the former Ndaragwa MP said.

He said the lot was planning to unveil the new arrangement on February 12 and officially announce that they have left Azimio.

“We told them that we have a candidate as well. They are now feeling the weight of the Jubilee Party. Everybody is back to the drawing board,” the ex-MP said, lifting the lid on the looming split.

Kioni adds that his party was ignored after it opposed a condition Gachagua set that his side would only support Kalonzo if the Ukambani region raised four million votes.

“I told them to go slow on the arrangements and endorsements as we were yet to agree conclusively but they did not listen,” he said.

“When I told them we’ll have a candidate, they thought I would be the one running.”

Jubilee’s recent endorsement of Matiang’i elicited talk of what informed the change.

This is considering that the party, through Kioni, had declared that Kalonzo was the leader of the opposition troops.

The Jubilee SG in the interview pointed to the overzealousness on the part of Kalonzo and Gachagua as the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Kioni has for a while been missing in action in activities led by Kalonzo, including recently when the Eugene Wamalwa-led Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya unveiled its national headquarters.

At the unveiling ceremony, which Gachagua attended, Kalonzo hinted at a forthcoming coalition.

“When Ruto is forcing other parties to wind up and be swallowed by UDA, we will do the opposite. There is no room for division. We must do things differently and be very strategic,” Kalonzo said.

But Kioni said the plans for a jumbo coalition may not be easy in the 2027 race, adding that Jubilee will insist on fielding candidates for every seat.

“We will not accept zoning this time around. We won’t support attempts to field candidates as a super coalition. Let each party fight for its space,” the Jubilee SG said.