The political temperature in Kenya’s opposition ranks rose sharply on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, when Democracy for Citizens’ Party (DCP) Deputy Leader Cleophas Malala went on the offensive against Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni.
Malala dismissed Kioni’s claims that Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is secretly collaborating with President William Ruto, terming the claims as “outright propaganda”. Kioni had previously claimed that Gachagua was plotting with Ruto to secure millions of votes across Mt Kenya, Kalonzo Musyoka’s base, and even from Fred Matiang’i, promising to share the spoils with the Maasai community.
Malala scoffed at the idea. “Does Riggy G look like someone who sits quietly with Ruto?” he asked, his tone sharp and unyielding.
Former secretary general of the ruling party, United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and former Kakamega Senator, didn’t stop there. Malala warned that the opposition must resist internal sabotage. “To Kioni and anyone sent to stir confusion: if you cannot say ‘Wantam,’ then you are a mole,” he said. “Our priority is clear—Ruto is Wantam. Anyone claiming to oppose the government must first acknowledge that.”
The exchange highlights the fragile alliances and rising tensions within the opposition as leaders maneuver ahead of the next elections, each keen to define their stance before the political battlefield is set.
