NAIROBI, KENYA – In a pointed escalation of political rhetoric, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claimed on Tuesday that President William Ruto has been left politically “confused” by Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s recent successful outreach in the Nyanza region. The remarks, made on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, position the battle for the Nyanza political bloc as a central theatre in the early jostling for the 2027 general election.

Speaking at the burial of Terry Kariuki, widow of the late politician J.M. Kariuki, in Gilgil, Nakuru County, Mr. Gachagua alleged that President Ruto’s political calculations have been upset by the warm reception Mr. Musyoka received in the traditional stronghold of the late opposition doyen, Raila Odinga.

“I saw him [President Ruto] crying that five men had met to divide the government. He has been confused since he went to Bondo to cry false tears, only for Mama Ida’s family to recognise Kalonzo. Now he is confused,” Mr. Gachagua stated. His comments were framed as a direct rebuttal to President Ruto’s remarks a day earlier, where the President accused opposition leaders of being motivated by “political greed” and lacking a development agenda.

Kalonzo's Strategic Nyanza Tour

The catalyst for Mr. Gachagua’s assertion was Mr. Musyoka’s highly symbolic visit to Kang'o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County, on Wednesday, November 6, 2025. In a gesture laden with cultural and political significance, the Wiper leader, accompanied by a delegation of elders and politicians from his Ukambani backyard, presented the Odinga family with a gift of 100 heads of cattle and assorted foodstuffs.

The visit was widely interpreted by political observers as a calculated mission to court the Nyanza electorate and position Mr. Musyoka as a potential successor to Mr. Odinga’s political base. The tour was bolstered by the presence and warm reception of key regional leaders, including Siaya Governor James Orengo and Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o. Governor Orengo, in particular, lauded Mr. Musyoka as a principled politician who had sacrificed his own presidential ambitions for Raila Odinga on three separate occasions.

Shifting Alliances and 2027 Politics

Mr. Gachagua’s attack underscores his new role as a chief antagonist to the Kenya Kwanza administration. Since his impeachment in October 2024 and subsequent resignation from the ruling UDA party in May 2025, he has emerged as a key principal in the nascent “United Opposition” alliance alongside Mr. Musyoka. This opposition coalition has begun coordinating its strategies, including agreeing to field joint candidates in the upcoming by-elections scheduled for November 27, 2025, to avoid splitting votes.

The political maneuvering in Nyanza is creating complex dynamics within the region. While Mr. Musyoka has received endorsements from influential figures like Mama Ida Odinga and Governor Orengo, some ODM legislators have expressed caution, warning against a rush to anoint a successor and signaling potential internal divisions over the party's future direction. This comes as President Ruto’s administration continues its own development-focused outreach in the region, with a Kenya Kwanza-ODM alliance active in supporting joint candidates for local by-elections.

The convergence of these events—Mr. Musyoka’s strategic courtship, Mr. Gachagua’s sharp-edged attacks, and the internal realignments within ODM—highlights the Nyanza region as a critical battleground. Mr. Gachagua's public declaration that the President is “confused” by these developments sets a confrontational tone, suggesting that the opposition views Mr. Musyoka's growing influence as a potent weapon in the long campaign towards 2027.