Makueni gubernatorial aspirant Prof. Philip Kaloki. File Photo. 
By Andrew Mbuva.
Makueni gubernatorial aspirant Prof. Philip Kaloki has dismissed reports suggesting that the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is considering moving him to Nairobi to contest the Embakasi East parliamentary seat in the 2027 General Election, terming the claims propaganda allegedly orchestrated by his political rivals.
Kaloki, who is eyeing the Makueni governorship on a UDA ticket, said he remained firmly focused on the county's politics and would not abandon his gubernatorial ambitions.
His remarks followed a social media report by a Makueni-based blog claiming that the UDA team was allegedly pushing him to reconsider his Makueni bid and instead contest the Embakasi East parliamentary seat.
The report claimed that the move was being considered because of what it described as the significant Kamba community presence in Embakasi East and speculation surrounding the constituency's political future.
However, Kaloki said the reports were false and accused Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr of being behind what he termed a propaganda campaign aimed at creating uncertainty around his candidature.
“Governor Mutula is worried and scared of my candidature. That is why he is using his bloggers to spread propaganda that I have shifted to Embakasi East politics,” Kaloki said.
He claimed that his opponents were actively trying to find ways of pushing him out of Makueni politics but insisted that he would not be moved.
“He is actually busy strategising on how Kaloki can be moved from Makueni, but he is in for a rude shock. Kaloki is in Makueni to stay,” he said.
The former senior government official further argued that the political circumstances surrounding his 2022 shift from the Makueni gubernatorial race would not be repeated ahead of the 2027 elections.
In the run-up to the 2022 General Election, Kaloki had positioned himself as a contender for the Makueni governorship before being persuaded by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka to abandon the race.
He subsequently moved to Nairobi, where he became the running mate of ODM's Nairobi gubernatorial candidate Polycarp Igathe.
The Igathe-Kaloki ticket, however, lost the Nairobi governorship to the Kenya Kwanza Alliance ticket led by Johnson Sakaja, who is now the city's Governor.
Kaloki now says his decision to shift from Makueni politics in 2022 should not be interpreted as a sign that he can once again be persuaded to abandon his gubernatorial ambitions.
“This time round, things will not play out like last time when he was able to convince Kalonzo Musyoka for me to be moved to Nairobi,” Kaloki said, apparently referring to Governor Mutula.
Kaloki said he was fully committed to his political activities in Makueni under the UDA party and accused the current county leadership of panicking over his growing political presence.
“I am very focused on Makueni politics under UDA and they should stop panicking,” he said.
In a further attack on the county administration, Kaloki argued that those currently in office, rather than opposition aspirants, should reconsider their political future.
“It is them who should shift their politics because they have failed in their mandate,” he said.
The latest exchange is expected to intensify the political contest for the Makueni governorship, with the 2027 General Election increasingly shaping political alignments and rivalries in the county.
For Kaloki, the Embakasi East speculation has now become part of a wider political battle over his continued presence in Makueni, where he insists he will remain and directly challenge the incumbent political establishment.
“Kaloki is in Makueni to stay,” he declared.
