Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has offered to shelve his presidential ambitions if doing so would help the United Opposition field a single candidate to challenge President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election.
Declaring himself an opposition unifying factor, the former Deputy President said unity was the only formula capable of preventing the opposition from splitting its vote and giving President Ruto an advantage in the forthcoming polls.
"In the fullness of time, we (United Opposition) will announce a single candidate to face William Ruto and send him home in the forthcoming General Election," said Mr Gachagua.
He dismissed rumours that the opposition was facing cracks, terming the claims wishful thinking being peddled by Kenya Kwanza politicians and bloggers who, he said, had already panicked following the recent Ol Kalou by-election defeat.
"The noise you hear in the opposition is friendly fire. All the principals, including Linda Mwananchi political formation led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, have agreed on a single candidate formula; the noise is about how to pick the candidate and when to announce him, but we will agree eventually. It's internal democracy that ought not to be mistaken for division," said Mr Gachagua.
The DCP leader revealed that government operatives had been trying to entice some principals, without mentioning names, to join the government in an attempt to dismantle the opposition ahead of the polls.
"We are aware the State has been approaching some of the principals, but they are out of reproach. We are aware of their gimmicks and ready for them," he added, before castigating Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, whom he said had betrayed his brother by taking his seat when he was impeached.
The DCP leader spoke in Matapato Ward, Kajiado Central Constituency, on Saturday as he welcomed a group of youths who defected to the party, signalling growing efforts to chip away at the ODM stronghold. The group was led by area MCA Abraham Osoi, who was elected on a Wiper Party ticket in the 2022 General Election at the age of 23.
Mr Gachagua faulted President Ruto for what he described as a lack of political goodwill in addressing matters affecting the Maa community, including several major roads and a modern slaughterhouse in Ibisil meant for animal-product value addition.
He also waded into the Amboseli National Park transition standoff, saying it was being used as a political decoy by the President Ruto administration.
"Most of the promises President Ruto has given the Maa community in the last four years have lacked political goodwill for his own political gain," he added.
He wooed the Maa community to the opposition, saying it would be in safe hands in a United Opposition government, while expressing confidence that President Ruto would be defeated.
"I assure you (Maa community), like the previous administration, [we] will ensure the Interior security docket will go to one of you," he added.
DCP Secretary-General and Nyandarua Senator John Methu said the DCP party sought to play fairly in the opposition to ensure the opposition forms the government after winning the 2027 General Election.
"The DCP party will ensure we have gained political tentacles across the country to have handful posts of elected leaders. We have trained our guns against Kenya Kwanza administration to ensure we trounce them fairly and squarely on the ballot box," said Senator Methu to a charged crowd.
Kajiado Senator Samuel Seki rallied the Maa community to the DCP, saying the Kenya Kwanza administration had short-changed the community through broken promises, including the tarmacking of several roads and the controversial transition of Amboseli National Park to the Kajiado County government.
"We (Maa community) will throw our weight to United Opposition in the 2027 General Election with Mr Gachagua as the presidential candidate. We want political goodwill to address the community's historical injustices," said Senator Seki, who has declared his bid for the Kajiado governorship in the 2022 polls on a DCP ticket.
For more than two decades, Kajiado Central Constituency has withstood waves of political party euphoria to remain an ODM stronghold. However, following the death of ODM leader Raila Odinga last year, rival political parties have stepped up efforts to make inroads into the constituency and challenge ODM’s long-standing dominance.
According to IEBC records, by 2022, Kajiado County had 463,273 registered voters.
