The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Wiper Patriotic Front leader Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka has unveiled details of his upcoming seven-day working visit to the United States, which will feature meetings with American lawmakers, university engagements and interactions with Kenyans living abroad.
Kalonzo will head a nine-member delegation during the November 18–24 tour, which will take him to several American cities, including Washington, DC, Boston in Massachusetts, Germantown and Baltimore in Maryland, Minneapolis in Minnesota, and Cleveland in Ohio.
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According to a media advisory released on Thursday by the Wiper Patriotic Front and The Ukombozi Alliance, the visit will feature congressional meetings, town hall gatherings, institutional engagements and activities aimed at strengthening ties with the Kenyan diaspora.
The statement indicated that the programme would include formal discussions with members of the US Congress at Capitol Hill, alongside meetings with diaspora communities and other institutions.
The delegation is expected to leave Nairobi on November 16 and travel to Washington, DC, ahead of the official engagements.
On November 18, Kalonzo is scheduled to meet American lawmakers at the Capitol Hill complex before attending an evening dinner with Washington leadership.
The Wiper leader will travel to Boston on November 19 for an engagement at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His schedule will also feature a reception attended by university alumni, faculty members and representatives from the technology and investment sectors.
On November 20, Kalonzo will return to Washington before heading to Germantown, Maryland, where he is expected to address a town hall meeting involving Kenyans and other members of the diaspora from the Washington metropolitan area.
The day will conclude with a dinner engagement along the US East Coast.
The tour will continue on November 21 with activities in Baltimore and Minneapolis. Kalonzo is expected to attend a Sabbath service at Living Springs Seventh Day Adventist Church before joining Ambassador Mohamed Abdi Afey at the Somali Hero Awards and Somali Book Fair.
The event is being organised in collaboration with members of the Minnesota diaspora.
On November 22, the delegation will proceed to Cleveland, Ohio, where Kalonzo is scheduled to attend a thanksgiving dinner with Kenyans living in the area.
His Cleveland programme will continue on November 23 with meetings involving various organisations. He will also serve as the chief guest at the Building Bridges: Cleveland-Kenya-Africa Reception.
The delegation is expected to conclude its American tour and depart for Nairobi on November 24.
Kalonzo’s diplomatic background
In the advisory, the Wiper leader was described as a Kenyan statesman and Senior Counsel with more than 40 years of experience in public service, law and international diplomacy.
The statement highlighted his tenure as Kenya’s 10th Vice President, serving between 2008 and 2013, as well as his previous Cabinet appointments in Foreign Affairs, Environment and Natural Resources, Education and Tourism.
During his tenure as Foreign Affairs Minister, Kalonzo played a role in negotiations that led to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the eventual establishment of South Sudan, according to the advisory.
His office said the American visit would offer an opportunity to strengthen engagement with US institutions while building relationships and mobilising Kenyans living in the diaspora.
Kalonzo’s seven-day tour comes as political leaders and parties begin positioning themselves ahead of Kenya’s 2027 General Election, with international engagements and diaspora support increasingly featuring in political outreach efforts.
