Malala Says DCP Will Stay Out of Kalonzo's Ukombozi Alliance for Now

The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) will not immediately join the newly rebranded Ukombozi Alliance, Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala has said.

Malala said DCP would first seek to form a partnership with the Linda Mwananchi Movement before engaging with the Ukombozi Alliance. He said the party wanted to consolidate its position with allies, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, before entering wider coalition talks.

“We as DCP cannot join the Ukombozi Alliance. They should join together as TUA, while we in the DCP will join Sifuna. Then we will negotiate together for one coalition,” Malala said.

He added that discussions with Ukombozi would begin once its constituent parties had reached an agreement among themselves. The announcement came two days after Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka unveiled the Ukombozi Alliance, which was formerly known as Azimio la Umoja. Kalonzo said the rebranded coalition would be open to new partners, including DCP and Linda Mwananchi.

Malala’s remarks indicate that both groups will remain outside the formal Ukombozi structure for now as they seek to establish their own positions ahead of wider negotiations. DCP’s position reflects the continuing efforts among opposition parties to build alliances ahead of the 2027 General Election. Malala said the party would first work with its preferred partners before negotiating a broader coalition.

The Sifuna-led movement has not confirmed an alliance with DCP, although it has previously indicated that it intends to contest the 2027 election as part of a joint opposition front. The latest developments underline the competing interests within Kenya’s opposition as parties consider how to build a coalition while retaining influence in negotiations. 

Opposition leaders have repeatedly discussed the need for a single coalition candidate, while individual parties continue to assess when and how to enter broader alliances.