Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua received a visit from Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka at his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri County on Monday, October 26.

“Kalonzo Musyoka cousin welcome to Wamunyoro. We need to unite,” Gachagua said.

The meeting comes after opposition leaders have been discussing how to best work together against President William Ruto. However, there has not yet been an announcement from the pair that they will run as a joint presidential ticket.

Kalonzo had hinted at the meeting a day prior to the visit, dismissing claims that his association with Gachagua was due to rifts in the opposition.

“Rigathi my brother has visited me at my Muuna in Tseikuru so now I have come to his house. What is wrong with friends and cousins meeting?” Kalonzo said. “I have made it my mission to unite the opposition. I will continue to meet with all my colleagues. We have a bigger cause to free Kenya.”

Following a meeting with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and leaders of the Linda Mwananchi movement on October 20, Gachagua has been in talks with opposition leaders about running as a joint ticket. However, there are still disagreements over who should lead the group.

Recently, DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala confirmed that the party would like Kalonzo to endorse Sifuna.

“You have seen our leader Rigathi Gachagua meet with Edwin Sifuna in Nairobi. They are united. We have also said that we would like to meet with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka who we would like to endorse Sifuna,” Malala said.

However, Wiper officials denied this was the case, stating there were still many issues that opposition leaders need to agree upon.

Kalonzo has not yet publicly endorsed Sifuna. He has stated that he will continue to meet with opposition colleagues who have presidential aspirations. Several issues need to be resolved during the discussions including how the joint candidate would be chosen, what role individual parties play and the conditions for any coalition agreement.

Although Gachagua meeting with Kalonzo shows that the two leaders have been in contact, it does not confirm that they have entered a formal alliance. Further talks will be needed to see if the demands for unity will become a shared political strategy.