Kalonzo-Sifuna alliance must rise above politics of survival
The proposed political alliance between Kalonzo Musyoka and Edwin Sifuna faces skepticism regarding its financial viability and lack of a clear development agenda. Critics argue that both leaders rely on branding rather than tangible policy achievements.
Why it matters
This analysis questions the sustainability of opposition politics in Kenya, where campaigns require massive funding and clear ideological foundations.
The Equitable Party leader Edwin Sifuna /HANDOUT There is a romantic notion in Kenyan politics that opposition is built on ideals. It is not. It is built on money. Big money. And that is where the much-hyped opposition ticket of Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka and the Equitable Party leader Edwin Sifuna begins to face serious questions even before it is formally unveiled.
Let us be blunt. Neither Kalonzo nor Sifuna is seen as capable of running a presidential campaign on their own steam. A presidential campaign in Kenya today is estimated to cost upwards of Sh10 billion. Where will that money come from?
This is not 2002. This is not even 2007. The opposition today appears to have no centre of gravity, no emotional wave and no self-sustaining war chest. What it appears to have is a collection of political leaders seeking survival, and survival in Ke nya is expensive
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