Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua addresses journalists at his Karen home in Nairobi on June 9, 2026.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Tuesday announced a 45-day political conclave at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri County beginning next Monday, aimed at building consensus on a single opposition presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The move comes a day after the High Court upheld his impeachment, a ruling that delivered a major political setback, but which Mr Gachagua now says has only strengthened his resolve to lead a broad opposition front against President William Ruto.
He described the coming election as a direct contest between the opposition and the incumbent, declaring readiness for what he termed a “mother of all political battles.”
Addressing a press conference at his Karen residence in Nairobi, Mr Gachagua said he was retreating for extensive consultations to help determine who will fly the opposition flag, although he maintained that his own presidential ambitions remain alive.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua addresses journalists at his Karen home in Nairobi on June 9, 2026.
“I have the capacity, the infrastructure and the networks. I remain hopeful I will be that candidate,” he said.
The former Deputy President disclosed that he had held a late-night meeting with a 60-member team of elders, clergy, professionals and youth following the High Court ruling. The group, he said, resolved that he should begin nationwide mobilisation aimed at unseating President Ruto.
While signalling willingness to support any of his co-principals in the United Opposition, Mr Gachagua insisted his presidential bid remains active, pending the outcome of ongoing legal processes and political negotiations.
He said that he will soon file an appeal challenging the three-judge bench ruling in his impeachment case, which he described as fundamentally flawed.
His Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) cited Article 99 of the Constitution, arguing that a candidate is not disqualified unless all avenues of appeal or review have been exhausted.
However, Article 75 of the Constitution also provides that a person removed from office through impeachment is disqualified from holding any other State office.
“I confirm that I am eligible to vie for the presidency and that I will be on the ballot on August 10, 2027, should the formula agreed upon by the United Alternative Government favour me as the single presidential candidate,” Mr Gachagua said.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua (centre), flanked by his political allies, addresses journalists at his Karen home in Nairobi on June 9, 2026.
His allies, have in recent months, pushed the argument that the opposition ticket should go to the candidate most capable of delivering votes to the coalition.
Initially, Mr Gachagua appeared reluctant to declare interest in the presidency, amid uncertainty over his eligibility following impeachment proceedings, with some indications that he was leaning towards supporting Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka as the coalition’s flagbearer.
Mr Gachagua outlined what he described as a two-pronged strategy to defeat President Ruto.
In the first scenario, he would seek the opposition ticket himself through nationwide mobilisation and under the second, he said he would rally his supporters behind the agreed candidate of the United Opposition.
“If I am not the candidate, I will seek the blessings and mandate of my supporters and the people of Kenya to back the agreed upon candidate in line with the formula adopted by the United Alternative Government,” he said.
“I remain committed to working with my colleagues in the United Opposition towards the goal of fielding a single presidential candidate,” he added.
Mr Gachagua said that after his removal from office in October 2024, he retreated to Wamunyoro for four months of consultations with citizens, which he said informed his decision to form DCP to consolidate his Mt Kenya support base.
He claimed that the party had since grown in popularity in the region, and continued to attract defectors from both the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Jubilee Party.
“My support base is consolidated and I have built alliances across the country,” he said, adding that his supporters had mandated him to implement their joint strategy from Wamunyoro for 45 days.
The former DP pointed to the 2022 election result, noting that Laikipia, Tharaka-Nithi, Murang’a, Kiambu, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Embu, Meru and Nakuru collectively delivered nearly three million votes for President Ruto, out of a regional total of 5.8 million votes.
He further cited projections by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which indicate that the region’s voting population could rise to 7.4 million in the next election cycle if voter registration targets are met.
At the same time, Mr Gachagua rejected the Sh50 million compensation awarded by the court, terming it an insult and a mockery of constitutional justice.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua addresses journalists at his Karen home in Nairobi on June 9, 2026.
He said his case was never about financial compensation but about defending constitutional rights and challenging what he called an illegal impeachment process.
“If I was interested in money, I would have accepted an alleged Sh2 billion offer from President Ruto to resign instead of facing impeachment,” he claimed, repeating long-standing claims that Dr Ruto attempted to persuade him to step down.
President Ruto has also previously alleged that Mr Gachagua demanded Sh10 billion, a claim he has denied.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I went to the High Court to defend my rights and those of Kenyans who participated in the 2022 elections. My prayer was to have the impeachment quashed,” he said.
“The Sh50 million awarded is an insult to fundamental rights and freedoms. We are not interested. This was never about money but it was about justice and constitutional supremacy.”
Mr Gachagua further criticised the High Court ruling, arguing that although the bench acknowledged violations of his right to a fair hearing, it still upheld the impeachment.
He said it was contradictory for the court to find procedural flaws in the Senate process while relying on precedent from the Supreme Court in the case of former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.
“While we respect the ruling of the High Court, we fundamentally disagree with its interpretation of the law and application of facts,” he said.
In its judgment delivered at the Milimani Law Courts’ Ceremonial Hall, the three-judge bench dismissed key arguments advanced by Mr Gachagua and his co-petitioners, significantly weakening his political standing ahead of the 2027 election.
The court found no evidence that Members of Parliament or senators had predetermined the outcome of the impeachment process, noting that political inclination alone does not amount to unconstitutional bias.
“What the Constitution prohibits is predetermination,” the judges said.
The court also dismissed claims that the public had been denied meaningful participation in the impeachment process, ruling that the timeline did not amount to a constitutional violation. It further held that the approval of a DP nominee does not require public participation.
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