Former Westlands Member of Parliament Fred Gumo has said Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi missed his best opportunity to become Kenya’s president in 2002, arguing that the political moment that could have propelled him to State House has since passed.
Speaking during the Nairobi Review podcast hosted by political analyst Herman Manyora on Saturday, August 15, 2026, Gumo dismissed suggestions that Mudavadi could still mount a serious presidential campaign in the future.
According to the veteran politician, Mudavadi enjoyed significant goodwill in 2002 but failed to capitalise on the opportunity.
“His chance was in 2002. When people from other communities were saying, ‘This is the young man we want,’ he lost that opportunity,” Gumo said.
Gumo argued that presidential opportunities are rare and that politicians who fail to seize them can wait for decades before another realistic opportunity emerges.
He therefore urged Mudavadi to abandon thoughts of becoming president, claiming that the Prime Cabinet Secretary no longer commands the political attention he once enjoyed.
“He should forget it because nobody even talks about him being president at all,” Gumo said.
Gumo questions influence of senior leaders
The former Westlands MP also questioned the political influence of senior figures in the Kenya Kwanza administration, including Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
Gumo said one way of measuring a politician’s influence is by looking at the number of ordinary citizens who seek assistance from their office.
He argued that leaders who consistently help members of the public tend to attract large numbers of people seeking assistance.
“When you go to the office of someone who helps people, the waiting room is full. People come because they know others have been helped there,” he said.
Gumo claimed that some senior government leaders had become disconnected from ordinary citizens, alleging that their offices no longer attract the same level of public engagement.
He also criticised politicians who, after failing to secure power in the 2022 General Election, are asking Kenyans to wait until 2032 for another opportunity.
According to Gumo, younger politicians are already emerging and could reshape the country’s political landscape before then.
Gumo backs Sifuna’s rise
Gumo also expressed support for Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, saying the Orange Democratic Movement secretary-general’s growing political profile had developed naturally rather than through a prolonged presidential campaign.
“His star is rising. We should support him,” Gumo said.
The veteran politician argued that established leaders should create space for younger politicians who demonstrate the ability to attract public support.
His remarks come amid growing political discussions about possible presidential contenders and alliances ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Gumo criticises Ruto’s economic record
Gumo also turned his criticism to President William Ruto’s administration, particularly its handling of the economy and business environment.
He argued that the government should create favourable conditions for entrepreneurs instead of competing with private businesses.
“A president must create an environment for people to do business. You cannot compete with the same people you are supposed to support,” he said.
The former MP pointed to Nairobi’s Industrial Area as an example of what he described as declining economic activity.
Gumo claimed that several factories were no longer operating as they once did and that investment activity in the area had slowed.
“Today when you go to Industrial Area, it is dead. There is no life. The factories are quiet,” he said.
He also cited his own difficulty selling property in the area as an indication of the challenges facing businesses and investors.
Education, healthcare concerns
Gumo further criticised the government’s handling of education and healthcare, citing funding challenges affecting universities and shortages of medicine in public health facilities.
He said the rising cost of living and high unemployment among young graduates were among the issues that should concern the government.
The former legislator warned that political leaders who fail to improve the lives of ordinary Kenyans should not automatically expect to remain in office for two terms.
Gumo argued that voters should be willing to remove presidents who fail to deliver on their promises.
“If a president is not working for the people, he should go. One term should become normal if leaders fail to deliver,” he said.
His remarks are likely to add fresh debate around Mudavadi’s long-term political ambitions, Sifuna’s growing profile and the wider realignment of Kenya’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
