Ruto’s UDA Targets Kalonzo Stronghold in Bold 2027 Power Grab as Party Unveils Plan to Capture Every Seat in Makueni
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has launched an ambitious campaign to wrest control of Makueni County from the opposition, unveiling an aggressive strategy to field candidates for every elective seat as President William Ruto’s party intensifies preparations for the 2027 General Election.
The announcement was made by Kibwezi West Member of Parliament Mwengi Mutuse during a political rally at Kiaoni Market on Thursday, July 23, where he declared that UDA was no longer content with making inroads into Eastern Kenya but was now aiming for a complete political takeover of Makueni.
According to Mutuse, the ruling party intends to contest every available seat in the county, including the governorship, Senate, all six parliamentary constituencies and a majority of the 30 Member of County Assembly (MCA) positions.
The lawmaker argued that Makueni residents had endured years of underdevelopment due to poor leadership and continued support for ethnic-based political parties, insisting that UDA offered a new national political direction.
“We have decided that our people have lived through hardship for far too long because of poor leadership. Our people have developed a habit of following tribal-based political parties. We have now said that we no longer want ethnic parties. We want a national party, and that party is UDA,” Mutuse told supporters.
As part of the party’s strategy, Mutuse officially announced Professor Philip Kaloki as UDA’s preferred candidate for the Makueni governorship, while Andrew Mulwa Mutava will fly the party’s flag in the Senate race.
The MP described Kaloki as a leader capable of transforming healthcare and improving service delivery in the county, accusing successive county administrations of neglecting residents’ basic needs.
“We have also decided that we want a governor who is close to the ordinary citizen, a governor who understands the challenges facing everyday people. Our hospitals have lacked medicines for too long. We want to change that, and we have decided that, as the UDA party, we will field a development-oriented governor, Professor Philip Kaloki,” he said.
Mutuse further urged residents to align their local leadership with the national government, arguing that such cooperation would accelerate development projects in the county.
He also expressed confidence that President William Ruto would secure another term in office in the 2027 General Election, saying the county should prepare by electing leaders who can work closely with the national administration.
The declaration marks one of UDA’s clearest attempts yet to dismantle Wiper Democratic Movement’s long-standing dominance in Makueni and the wider Ukambani region.
For years, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has remained the region’s most influential political figure, with his party controlling the majority of elective positions across Makueni, Kitui and Machakos counties.
However, President Ruto’s allies have recently intensified campaigns across Eastern Kenya in an effort to broaden UDA’s grassroots support ahead of the next elections.
The ruling party has repeatedly maintained that it intends to field candidates for every elective position nationwide in 2027 as part of its strategy to transform UDA into a dominant national political movement.
Mutuse’s remarks are expected to heighten political competition in Ukambani, setting the stage for what could become one of the country’s fiercest regional battles as parties begin positioning themselves for the next General Election.
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