Kitui County Woman Representative Dr Irene Kasalu has strongly condemned the heckling of Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka by supporters of the Linda Mwananchi movement, describing the incident as unfortunate, unacceptable and a threat to opposition unity ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a strongly worded statement, Dr Kasalu faulted the supporters for disrespecting Kalonzo over his position that opposition leaders should engage in consultations and agree on a single presidential candidate to challenge President William Ruto in 2027.
She argued that it was wrong for members of the opposition to heckle and intimidate fellow leaders simply because they hold divergent political opinions, warning that such conduct undermines the spirit of unity the opposition claims to champion.
“You cannot purport to champion unity and nationhood while simultaneously disrespecting fellow leaders whose opinions differ from yours,” she stated.
Dr Kasalu further dismissed any suggestion that the opposition’s presidential ticket had already been determined or that ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna was automatically entitled to carry the opposition flag.
She maintained that the choice of a presidential candidate must be arrived at through genuine consultations, democratic engagement and mutual respect among opposition formations.
The Woman Representative also expressed concern over what she termed a growing culture of political intolerance among sections of opposition supporters, citing previous incidents of hostility directed at leaders, including Hon. Caleb Hamisi and Hon. Babu Owino.
According to Dr Kasalu, such confrontational behaviour only exposes divisions within the opposition at a time when political discipline and strategic coordination are critical.
“Our common objective is bigger than individual ambitions. We have a country to win in 2027, and that requires discipline, tolerance, strategic thinking and respect for one another,” she said.
She warned that the opposition could not afford to turn against its own leaders while preparing for the contest against the Kenya Kwanza administration.Dr Kasalu called on Linda Mwananchi leaders to take responsibility for the incident and issue an unconditional public apology to Kalonzo Musyoka, insisting that the Wiper Party leader deserves respect like every other opposition leader.
“As supporters and believers of H.E. Kalonzo Musyoka, we demand an unconditional public apology from the Linda Mwananchi leadership responsible for this unfortunate conduct,” she declared.
She added that disagreement was a legitimate part of democratic politics but should never be used as an excuse to humiliate or disrespect fellow leaders.In her closing remarks, Dr Kasalu urged Linda Mwananchi and Sifuna supporters to redirect their energies towards building a formidable opposition coalition capable of defeating President Ruto in 2027 rather than engaging in confrontations with fellow opposition figures.
She said the opposition urgently needed dialogue instead of heckling, consultation instead of confrontation, and political sobriety instead of emotional reactions.”Unity must be demonstrated through actions, not merely proclaimed through slogans,” she concluded.
