KENYA · POLITICS
Kenya’s President William Ruto praised opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka as someone God uses to spread word of his projects, and Kalonzo replied that Ruto’s days are numbered.
Key Facts
- —What happened Ruto praised Kalonzo at a water project launch in Machakos County on Saturday 24 October 2026.
- —The reply Kalonzo answered that Ruto’s days are numbered and declared himself Ruto’s main challenger for 2027.
- —Rivals Ruto’s ruling UDA party faces Kalonzo, a former vice president leading the opposition Wiper Patriotic Front.
- —The vote Kenya’s electoral commission has set its next general election for Tuesday 10 August 2027, 41 weeks away.
- —What is open The opposition has not yet agreed on one presidential candidate to face Ruto.
The Ruto Kalonzo rivalry took an unusual turn on Saturday 24 October 2026, when Kenya’s President William Ruto told a crowd in Machakos County that God uses opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka to publicise his projects. Kalonzo, who leads the opposition Wiper Patriotic Front, replied that Ruto’s days are numbered, and in a separate speech he declared himself Ruto’s biggest rival for the August 2027 election.
The United States designated Kenya a major non-NATO ally in June 2024, so the 2027 contest is a stability question for Washington as well as for Nairobi. None of the Kenyan outlets reviewed reports a formal pact between the two men.
In Plain English
- —Kalonzo Musyoka Kenya’s vice president from 2008 to 2013 and the leader of the Wiper Patriotic Front party.
- —Ukombozi Alliance The opposition coalition Kalonzo leads, renamed in September 2026 from Azimio la Umoja.
- —Ukambani The Machakos, Kitui and Makueni counties, Kalonzo’s home region, where Ruto began a four-day tour.
- —UDA The United Democratic Alliance, the party of President Ruto and the ruling party.
What Ruto and Kalonzo Said in Machakos
Ruto spoke in Mwala, Machakos County, as he commissioned the Mwala Cluster Water Supply Project, which the Kenyan government and the African Development Bank fund jointly. It was the first day of a four-day tour, running until Tuesday 27 October, of Machakos, Makueni and Kitui counties, the region known as Ukambani, Capital FM reported.
“I thank my friend Kalonzo for acknowledging that God is using me,” Ruto told the crowd, The Star reported. “But you should know that there are two people in Kenya whom God is using: Kalonzo and myself.”
Ruto then set out the division of labour: “God uses me to build roads, to bring water, and to organise medical services; meanwhile, God uses Kalonzo to help me spread the word, to announce that a road has been built or that water has arrived. I don’t see anything wrong with that.”
He called Kalonzo more honest than other opposition figures: “At least Kalonzo is honest; when work has been done, he acknowledges it.” Of the others, he said they would deny a road even if it reached their doorstep, and he called them “the ultimate liars.”
How Kalonzo Answered
Kalonzo’s reply, as The Star recorded it, was short: “Keep talking about me…and keep praising me. Your days are numbered.”
Pulse Kenya quoted him saying that Ruto “is in Machakos lying that he is doing the Lord’s work” and had misunderstood his call to develop every part of the country. It did not say where Kalonzo spoke.
Kalonzo also spoke at a thanksgiving service at a Seventh-day Adventist church in Kamikau, Tharaka Ward, on Saturday 24 October, Capital FM reported. “I am your rival,” he declared, Capital FM said, while KBC reported that he claimed Ruto himself had acknowledged him as his principal opponent.
“Forty years of experience is enough to liberate this country because we know exactly what ails this country,” Kalonzo said, KBC reported. He also accused Ruto of using development events to attack political opponents and said he would keep working with other opposition leaders through the Ukombozi Alliance.
Capital FM reported that Kalonzo said he believes God is using him to deliver Kenya from what he called a “predator regime”. It added that his stated aim is to send Ruto home through the democratic process.
KBC says Kalonzo pledged, if elected, to prioritise the High Grand Falls dam project and to pay prompt compensation to affected communities. He said such dams would widen water access, support irrigation and improve food security.
How the Ruto Kalonzo Rivalry Reached This Point
The praise is a sharp change from late September, when Ruto was mocking Kalonzo’s record. Citizen Digital reported on Sunday 27 September 2026 that Ruto had been using the state of the road to Kalonzo’s rural home in Tseikuru to argue that Kalonzo did little in 40 years to tarmac it.
Kalonzo answered in Bondo that he had indeed been around for 40 years. Citizen Digital added that his camp promotes him as flag bearer of a united opposition, although the opposition had not settled on a candidate.
Timeline
- —Monday 21 September 2026 Kalonzo announces that the Azimio la Umoja coalition has become the Ukombozi Alliance.
- —Sunday 27 September 2026 Kalonzo answers Ruto’s “40 years” jibes at a rally in Bondo, Siaya County.
- —Monday 5 October 2026 Former president Uhuru Kenyatta dates a letter resigning as chair of the coalition council.
- —Saturday 24 October 2026 Ruto praises Kalonzo in Machakos County, and Kalonzo replies.
The Road to the 2027 Vote
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) lists the general election as “10th August 2027” on its website. Under Article 136 of the Constitution, Kenya elects its president on the second Tuesday in August every fifth year.
To win outright, a candidate needs more than half of all votes cast and at least 25% of the votes in more than half of Kenya’s 47 counties. If nobody does, the top two candidates meet in a fresh election within 30 days, Article 138 says.
Key Dates for 2027 (IEBC Plan)
- —Tuesday 9 February 2027 Public officers who want to stand must resign by this day.
- —Sunday 9 May 2027 Parties must finish their primaries and settle internal disputes.
- —Saturday 29 May to Friday 11 June 2027 Candidates file their nomination papers.
- —Saturday 29 May to Saturday 7 August 2027 The official campaign period runs for these ten weeks.
- —Tuesday 10 August 2027 Election day.
Ruto is seeking a second term, which the Constitution allows because it limits a president to two terms. Presidential candidates must also be nominated by at least 2,000 voters from each of a majority of counties, under Article 137.
What It Means for US Readers
Presidential Determination 2024-05, signed by then President Joe Biden on Monday 24 June 2024 and published in the Federal Register on Friday 12 July 2024, designates Kenya a major non-NATO ally under US arms-export and foreign-assistance law. That status signals close US security ties, so a tense or disputed 2027 vote is a stability question for US planners.
“Exercise increased caution in Kenya due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.”
US State Department travel advisory for Kenya
The official campaign period runs from Saturday 29 May to Saturday 7 August 2027, so travellers heading to Kenya in mid-2027 should check the advisory and any US Embassy alerts for Nairobi and their route before they book. Investors and aid groups with Kenyan exposure will watch whether the opposition settles on one candidate, whether Ruto’s softer tone toward Kalonzo hardens into an alliance or fades, and how the campaign affects security and business.
Read the companion piece in this cluster: Kenya Opposition Leader Kalonzo Explained. Both articles are updated from the same verified sources.
What Is Not Known
No outlet reviewed gives the date or place of Kalonzo’s first remark that God is using Ruto, so his exact words are unconfirmed. No outlet reports a deal between the two men, and Kalonzo called Ruto’s claim that he is doing the Lord’s work a lie.
Reports differ on the cost of the Mwala water project: The Star gives KSh1.7 billion (about US$13.1 million), while KBC and Capital FM give KSh1.47 billion (about US$11.3 million), at the Friday 23 October rate of KSh129.79 per US dollar. Tanathi, the state water agency, lists the whole project at KSh1.7 billion (about US$13.1 million), KBC adds a separate second phase of KSh500 million (about US$3.9 million), and Capital FM calls the launch Phase Two.
A Malindi High Court judgment of Friday 7 August 2026 held that the presidential election should have been held on Tuesday 11 August 2026, but its declaration was suspended until after the 2027 election, Capital FM and Kenyans.co.ke reported. IEBC commissioner Ann Nderitu told Citizen TV on Sunday 23 August that the commission therefore stays with 10 August 2027, Kenyans.co.ke reported, and the IEBC website still lists that date.
The outlets reviewed give no date by which the opposition will name a single candidate. Whether Ruto’s softer tone leads to any talks between the two camps is also unreported.
Connected Coverage
- —Kenya Politics Explained, Who Holds Power in 2026 The full guide to Kenya’s parties, power brokers and rules.
- —Who Can Challenge Ruto in Kenya’s 2027 Election Our analysis of the opposition field and the Mount Kenya vote.
- —Nairobi City Guide for Expats and Visitors Practical guide to the capital.
- —Kenyan Party Leader Says Ruto Broke Promises Another party leader, Kanu’s Gideon Moi, complains of unkept deals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Ruto say about Kalonzo?
Ruto said God is using both men, with Ruto building roads and water projects and Kalonzo helping to announce them. He spoke in Machakos County on Saturday 24 October 2026.
Who is Kalonzo Musyoka?
Kalonzo is a veteran Kenyan politician who served as vice president from 2008 to 2013. He now leads the Wiper Patriotic Front party and the opposition Ukombozi Alliance.
When is Kenya’s next presidential election?
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission lists Tuesday 10 August 2027. To win outright, a candidate needs more than half of all votes and at least 25% in more than half of the 47 counties.
Has the opposition chosen one candidate?
No, the opposition has not named one candidate. Kalonzo calls himself Ruto’s biggest rival, but the outlets reviewed say the group is still deciding.
Does Ruto’s praise mean the two are allies?
No deal has been reported. Kalonzo dismissed Ruto’s remarks as lies and told him his days are numbered.
Why does the rivalry matter to Americans?
The United States designated Kenya a major non-NATO ally in June 2024, so a stable 2027 vote matters for US security ties. The State Department also advises Americans to exercise increased caution in Kenya.
Sources: IEBC website (election date) Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, change of name to Wiper Patriotic Front Constitution of Kenya 2010, Articles 136 to 138 and 142 Federal Register, Designation of Kenya as a Major Non-NATO Ally, 12 July 2024 US State Department, Kenya travel advisory Tanathi Water Works Development Agency, ongoing projects The Star, 24 October 2026 KBC, 24 October 2026 Capital FM, 25 October 2026 Capital FM, 24 October 2026 KBC, 25 October 2026 Pulse Kenya, 25 October 2026 Dawan Africa, 24 October 2026 Citizen Digital, 27 September 2026 Citizen Digital, 21 September 2026 Citizen Digital, 7 October 2026 Kenyans.co.ke, 24 June 2026 Kenyans.co.ke, 24 August 2026 Capital FM, 7 August 2026 Capital FM, 8 August 2026 Kenyans.co.ke, vice-presidency dates, 13 November 2019 All retrieved 25 October 2026. Exchange rate: house closing rate of Friday 23 October 2026, KSh129.79 per US dollar.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief