Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has tapped former President William Ruto’s Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa for the party’s deputy leadership as he moves to strengthen his political camp ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Kalonzo made the proposal on Friday during a political engagement in Kwale County, saying Jumwa’s long experience in Kenyan politics made her deserving of a senior position in the opposition party.
He said the formal appointment would be made by the party leadership after deliberations.
“Huyu ni kibonge cha mama dunia nzima mpaka akisimama kwa WPF Kalonzo anaheshimika. I want to propose that she will be the Deputy Party Leader of the Wiper Patriotic Front. The party leadership will formally make the announcement after deliberations,” Kalonzo said.
Jumwa served in Ruto’s Cabinet before leaving government as the political landscape shifted towards the 2027 election.
Her proposed move to Wiper would bring a prominent Coast politician into the party’s senior leadership at a time when Kalonzo is seeking to expand Wiper’s influence beyond its traditional support base.
Kalonzo targets Coast influence
Kalonzo praised Jumwa’s political experience, arguing that she had not received a similar senior party position despite her long career.
“There’s no other party which has ever given Aisha a similar position with all her experience,” he said.
Jumwa has been a prominent political figure in the Coast region and has previously held elective and Cabinet positions, giving her a significant political profile in an area where parties are seeking to strengthen their networks ahead of 2027.
Kalonzo’s proposal also comes as Wiper undergoes a wider leadership reorganisation.
Only last week, he named Nyali MP Mohamed Ali as another deputy party leader in a reshuffle that also brought former Cabinet minister Jamleck Irungu Kamau in as party chairman.
Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru was appointed as Wiper’s first party spokesperson.
Kalonzo said Ali’s appointment was intended to bring a younger generation and the Coast region closer to the centre of the party.
“Ali brings not only the Coast region, but a younger generation of hard working Kenyans who want to live in a country that respects and rewards integrity over patronage, into the very heart of this party’s leadership,” he said.
Wiper prepares for 2027
The proposed elevation of Jumwa gives Kalonzo another high profile figure as he positions Wiper for the next election.
It also signals an effort to build a broader political coalition as opposition parties continue negotiations and realignments ahead of 2027.
With Jumwa’s proposed appointment still subject to approval by Wiper’s party organs, the move could further reshape the opposition’s political calculations, particularly along the Coast.
Kalonzo has increasingly presented Wiper as a national political vehicle, with the latest leadership changes aimed at giving the party a wider regional and generational appeal.
