KISUMU, Kenya Sep 9 – The Wiper Patriotic Front has intensified efforts to expand its political presence in the Nyanza region ahead of a planned tour by party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
Wiper officials and grassroots supporters met in Kisumu to prepare for Musyoka’s visit, which is expected to bring together political leaders, professionals, faith-based organisations and other groups from across the region.
The party says the planned tour is part of efforts to strengthen its grassroots structures and increase its visibility ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Wiper Patriotic Front Executive Director Benson Milai said the Kisumu meeting was aimed at developing a coordinated programme for Musyoka’s visit while engaging party leaders and supporters at the grassroots.
“We are in Kisumu today to visit our leaders at the grassroots,” Milai said.
He said the party wanted to establish a structured programme that would enable Musyoka to interact directly with communities across Nyanza.
According to Milai, the visit is tentatively scheduled for later in September or early October, subject to the finalisation of the programme.
Milai said Wiper was also preparing to open offices in several parts of Nyanza as it seeks to build a stronger and more organised grassroots network.
He identified Migori and Siaya among the areas where offices have already been identified.
“We are going to open offices. We have identified some places, especially in Migori and Siaya, and soon those offices will be opened for the purpose of making the party visible and operational,” he said.
The move is expected to provide the party with a permanent presence in the region and strengthen its coordination ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Kisumu meeting also provided a platform for Wiper to showcase politicians seeking to contest various positions under its ticket in the 2027 General Election.
Among those introduced was Michael Mboga, who announced his defection from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and declared his intention to contest the Migori Senate seat on a Wiper ticket.
Mboga said he had joined Wiper because he believed the party provided a platform for political change.
He also declared his support for Musyoka’s presidential ambitions.
“From today and henceforth, Wiper is going to open offices in all the sub-counties in Nyanza. We will support Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka as the sixth President of the Republic of Kenya,” Mboga said.
His move adds to Wiper’s efforts to attract political leaders and prospective candidates as parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 electoral contest.
Local leaders and supporters welcomed the planned visit, urging Musyoka to spend more time engaging communities across the region.
Supporter Jane Atieno called on the Wiper leader to visit all Nyanza counties and formally introduce himself to residents.
“We’d like you to come to Kisumu, walk to each and every county, so that we can introduce you formally and officially to our people,” she said.
The meeting also featured calls for Musyoka to take a more prominent political role in Nyanza following the death of veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Local leaders noted Musyoka’s longstanding political association with Odinga and urged him to deepen his engagement with the region.
Milai said Wiper’s immediate priority was to establish a vibrant political network across Nyanza capable of recruiting supporters and fielding candidates at different levels in the 2027 elections.
The party is expected to intensify grassroots mobilisation in the coming weeks as it prepares for Musyoka’s regional tour.
The planned visit will provide the Wiper leader with an opportunity to engage political leaders, professionals, religious groups and grassroots supporters as the party seeks to expand its footprint beyond its traditional areas of support.
With the 2027 General Election approaching, political parties are increasingly turning their attention to grassroots mobilisation, candidate recruitment and regional alliances as they seek to build competitive electoral networks.
