A section of Ukambani leaders have kicked off campaigns to strengthen Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) party leader Kalonzo Musyoka's presidential bid.
The immediate former Vice President has since clarified that he will be part of the contestants that will take part in the 2022 presidential race.
Consequently, a section of leaders drawn from Kitui County are now urging the region's leaders to back Musyoka as he seeks to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Kitui Senator Enock Wambua has cautioned opposing leaders that Kalonzo's wave will swipe them away, considering that the NASA leader is deemed the Ukambani kingpin.
“Wiper is strong and will work with Jubilee Party to achieve the Big Four agenda and Kalonzo should be accorded respect as we prepare him for the presidency come 2022,” he is quoted by the Nation.
The Senator was speaking at Nguni Primary school in Kitui, during the county's first ever annual cultural event, barely a month after Musyoka promised to work closely with Uhuru ahead of the anticipated candidature in 2022.
Kalonzo has twice backed opposition leader Raila Odinga in his unsuccessful presidential bids.
Their joint bid in 2013 under the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) lost to President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee Party.
In 2017, they again lost to Kenyatta, this time under the National Super Alliance (NASA) umbrella.