Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka has emerged as the most preferred presidential candidate in the first round of the WANTAM flag-bearer selection process, placing him ahead of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.
The final digital voting results released on August 12 showed Kalonzo with 50.2% of the vote against Sifuna’s 48.2%.
“Today, the WANTAM Advisory Committee stands before the nation to officially announce the results of the first round of the WANTAM Flag Bearer Public Participation Process, which was done through the WANTAM Digital Election System on wantamcandidate.com,” read the statement in part.
WANTAM movement has announced an interactive debate to bring together leading contenders in its process to identify a preferred opposition presidential flag bearer and running mate ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Kalonzo Leads as Preferred Presidential Candidate
Wantam movement has held the first round of its digital election process, with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka emerging top, followed by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna in the presidential ballot.
Final results reported on August 12 showed Kalonzo with 50.2% of the vote against Sifuna’s 48.2%.
Also Read: Ruto Takes Early Lead in Latest Presidential Poll
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and former Defense Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa completed the top five in the presidential race.
The results represented a significant shift from earlier stages of the online exercise. On August 2, Sifuna had been reported to be leading Kalonzo by a wider margin, before Kalonzo overtook him in the final days of voting.
In the running-mate category, Sifuna emerged as the leading contender in the final results, with 23.5%.
Wantam launched the digital election system in July as a citizen-led process through which participants could indicate their preferred opposition presidential candidate.
The initial field featured opposition figures, with the top five proceeding to the debate stage before the subsequent voting phase determines the movement’s preferred ticket.
Wantam Announces August 23 Debate
Wantam Advisory Committee convenor Francis Masinde said the organizers are departing from the conventional political debate format and intend to make the August 23 event more interactive.
He said production arrangements were still being finalized and that the organizers would formally invite the leading presidential and running-mate contenders to participate.
The debate will bring the top candidates emerging from the digital voting exercise together to present their positions, leadership priorities and vision for Kenya.
Masinde said the event is intended to go beyond a conventional contest by providing an opportunity for opposition figures to engage with each other and the public.
The organization has also indicated that the debate will be part of process aimed at building consensus around a single opposition ticket rather than leaving the choice solely to political negotiations.
WANTAM Seeks Opposition Unity Ahead of 2027
The movement says its wider objective is to bring opposition leaders and their supporters behind one candidate capable of mounting a united challenge against Ruto in the 2027 presidential election.
Also Read: Sifuna Overpowers Oburu’s ODM Faction, Named Fastest Rising Candidate in Fresh Poll
In its latest statement, the Wantam Advisory Committee said the debate is intended to create space for opposition leaders to discuss their political programmes while encouraging unity around a common national agenda.
“We need to unite as a people behind one formidable leader. We are building a movement that is bigger than any individual, a movement that belongs to every Kenyan who believes in justice and prosperity. This is the process we are focused on as the Wantam Advisory Committee,” the committee said.
According to the movement, the initiative is a public participation exercise rather than a conventional party nomination process. Wantam described itself as an independent, non-partisan citizens’ initiative and said it is not affiliated with any political party, politician or coalition.
The movement says its 2026 National Election System is designed around citizen participation in choosing the preferred opposition ticket.
However, the Wantam process does not itself constitute the formal constitutional or legal nomination of a presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Official candidates will still have to be nominated through recognized political parties and meet the requirements administered under Kenya’s electoral framework.
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