Inside details of Kalonzo and Muthama meeting last Thursday

Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka held a private meeting with Former Machakos Senator Johnston Muthama in Lavington, Nairobi, on October 1, 2026. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

The Thursday night meeting between Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and former Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama has elicited mixed reaction, with emerging speculations that the latter would be wooing the former Vice President to join government.

Wiper chairman Jamleck Kamau has now revealed that he convened the meeting as part of efforts to bring the former UDA chairman back into the opposition fold.

Kamau said the October 1 meeting was held at his Lavington residence and brought together Kalonzo, Muthama, Nyali MP Mohamed Ali, former Mutito MP Kiema Kilonzo and himself.

Speaking at the SKM Centre in Nairobi on Saturday, Kamau said the meeting was the culmination of discussions he and other Wiper officials had held with Muthama over several months on strengthening the party and consolidating its support base in Lower Eastern.

“The main intention and the reason why we called for that meeting was to ensure that we bring our people together,” Kamau said.

He said the talks were particularly focused on ways through which Muthama could return to the Wiper fold and contribute to the party's mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election.

“We, as Wiper family, are determined to bring all our sons back home and make sure that Kalonzo Musyoka becomes the sixth president of the Republic of Kenya,” he said.

This clarification comes shortly after images of Muthama and Kalonzo emerged after the said Lavington meeting.

According to Kamau, the meeting came after an earlier lunch at Serena Hotel on August 20, which Kamau said was attended by Muthama, Nyali MP Mohamed Ali, Kiema Kilonzo, and himself.

He said the August meeting was intended to discuss ways of strengthening Wiper and its support base in Lower Eastern. He subsequently briefed Kalonzo on the discussions.

“He was very happy that we were able to organise our son to come back home,” Kamau said.

According to Kamau, the October 1 meeting was therefore not a negotiation for Kalonzo to join the government, as had been speculated following the encounter.

“The meeting that happened in my house had nothing, and I repeat, had nothing to do with our presidential candidate Kalonzo Musyoka going to any other person,” he said.

Muthama on Friday confirmed the meeting, describing Kalonzo as his “brother and longtime political friend”. He said the talks covered national issues and matters affecting the lives and welfare of Kenyans.

“Our conversation provided an opportunity to exchange views, reflect on the current national situation, and consider the way forward on issues of importance to our nation and our people,” Muthama said in a statement.

Kamau, however, said the political significance of the meeting lay in Wiper's efforts to persuade Muthama to return to the opposition.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, Senator Muthama is still in government. But we are working with him to ensure he comes back to us,” he said.

He claimed Wiper was also engaging other government officials who were considering leaving the administration, although he declined to disclose their identities.

“I will not disclose the names but I can assure you there are many of them. We are talking to them and very soon you will see an exodus of Kenyans from that side of Kenya Kwanza to the United Alternative Government,” Kamau said.

Kamau said Wiper's efforts to engage Muthama should therefore not be interpreted as evidence that Kalonzo was seeking an arrangement with the government.

He also urged Kalonzo to avoid direct exchanges with Ruto, saying the Wiper leader should concentrate on his presidential campaign.

“Our presidential candidate is above this. Going forward, we are going to advise our candidate Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka not to respond to the insults of William Ruto,” Kamau said.

“He is a diplomat, presidential material who respects Kenyans. He is not the kind of person who can start attacking people nor the kind of person who can start insults.”

Wiper, he said, would instead respond to attacks directed at its leader while Kalonzo focused on what he described as the broader task of taking over government in 2027.

The meeting, analysts argue, is seen as a new chapter in the relationship between Kalonzo and Muthama, former political allies whose paths diverged as Muthama joined the ruling camp.

While Muthama has described Thursday's encounter as a consultation on national affairs, Kamau's account places the meeting within Wiper's wider effort to rebuild its political base and bring former allies back into the party ahead of the 2027 contest.