Farouk Kibet Blasts Kalonzo Musyoka over Criticism of New IEBC Nominees

President William Ruto’s personal assistant, Farouk Kibet, has gone on the offensive against Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka after the latter condemned the president’s recent appointments to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Kibet, known for his sharp tongue and unapologetic loyalty to Ruto, accused Kalonzo of fueling endless political drama instead of focusing on solutions for ordinary Kenyans.

During a fiery speech in Nandi County, Kibet rallied Parliament to approve the IEBC nominees swiftly, dismissing the opposition’s objections as noise rooted in tribalism and political bitterness.

As the battle over the IEBC nominees heats up, one thing is clear: Ruto’s allies are ready to fight back—and Farouk Kibet is leading the charge. [Photo: Courtesy]

Farouk Kibet Leads UDA Allies in Fierce Defense of IEBC Appointments

Speaking at a fundraising event in Nandi County, Farouk Kibet did not mince words. He openly condemned Kalonzo Musyoka and other opposition figures for what he termed as a “habitual obsession” with fighting the government.

According to Kibet, the delay in setting up a functional IEBC has left many electoral areas without representation, and it is the citizens who suffer most.

“We want the IEBC in place as early as yesterday,” Kibet declared. “There are constituencies without representatives. People want to vote. They want their voices heard. Yet, the opposition’s biggest agenda is always ‘Ruto Must Go’ – even in their sleep.”

Kibet urged the National Assembly to ignore what he called “political noise” and move quickly to approve President Ruto’s nominees.

In his view, the opposition is not driven by principle or constitutional fidelity but by a desperation to stay relevant ahead of the 2027 General Election.

His sentiments were echoed by several UDA lawmakers, including Kimani Ichung’wah and Didmus Barasa, who joined the onslaught against Kalonzo’s faction.

They framed the opposition’s outrage as not only unpatriotic but also deeply tribal.

Kimani Ichung’wah Accuses Kalonzo of Ethnic Profiling

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah took the opportunity to slam Kalonzo’s remarks as thinly veiled tribal propaganda.

According to Ichung’wah, the Wiper party leader has resorted to ethnic profiling simply because the IEBC chair nominee hails from a tribe not favorable to the opposition.

“When the process is fair and transparent but doesn’t favor them, they scream tribalism,” Ichung’wah charged. “The names were legally submitted to the President. Now that the opposition can’t control the process, they cry foul and drag in ethnicity.”

Ichung’wah insisted that the opposition had no constitutional ground to reject the nominees and challenged them to produce concrete evidence that the appointments were flawed or unconstitutional.

He also questioned whether Kalonzo’s attacks were merely laying the groundwork for rejecting future election results.

By portraying Kalonzo’s statements as attempts to delegitimize the IEBC before it even begins work, Ichung’wah sought to discredit any future claims by the opposition about electoral malpractice.

Kalonzo blasted the IEBC nominee list as partisan and illegal. He claimed that President Ruto had ignored the constitutional requirement for public consultation and bipartisan concurrence. [Photo: Courtesy]

Didmus Barasa Warns of Desperate Opposition Ahead of 2027

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa further fanned the flames by accusing Kalonzo and his allies of teaming up with disgruntled figures like former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to create artificial crises.

Barasa dismissed their criticism as a desperate strategy to stall the government’s development agenda and build an anti-Ruto coalition for 2027.

“Personally, I am not worried,” Barasa said. “Come 2027, our biggest competitor won’t be Kalonzo or Raila. It will be our own success—what we’ve done to change people’s lives.”

Barasa added that Kalonzo’s accusations regarding election rigging were baseless and merely intended to sow public distrust. He accused the opposition of always discrediting institutions that they do not control, calling it a tactic that has outlived its relevance.

Kalonzo, on his part, had earlier blasted the IEBC nominee list as partisan and illegal. He claimed that President Ruto had ignored the constitutional requirement for public consultation and bipartisan concurrence.

“This move has turned the commission into a low-trust institution,” Kalonzo said. “We are looking at a blatant plan to manipulate the 2027 elections and the coming by-elections.”

But for Farouk Kibet and his allies, the opposition’s complaints are not about democracy or the Constitution. They believe the noise is purely political—a smokescreen to deflect from the lack of alternative solutions.

Farouk Kibet has now become a central figure in defending the President’s decisions, reminding Kenyans that the real priority should be restoring electoral credibility and giving every constituency proper representation.