Mr Gachagua, who spent much of his time abroad firing stinging attacks at President William Ruto, landed back in the country to a chaotic welcome and heated reactions that suggest he may now be the unexpected leader of opposition politics.
“The mobilisation around him is telling. Even the attempt by rivals to incite hostility—including calls to stone his convoy—only fuels his politics. It hardens his supporters and paints his opponents as intolerant,” said political scientist Gasper Odhiambo.
Chaotic arrival: Scuffle between Gachagua supporters and police at JKIA
Mr Odhiambo added that Mr Gachagua now has three main options: to resume building the opposition from where he left off, expand his cooperation to bring in the Kenya Moja wing, or reset his political strategy and recruit fresh allies for a 2027 bid.
“It would be political folly not to acknowledge that Gachagua has become presidential material. He enjoys a solid Mt Kenya base. All he needs is additional numbers to meet the 50 plus one threshold,” he said.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is mobbed by supporters upon his arrival from the US at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Thursday.
Photo credit: REUTERS
Still, Mr Odhiambo cautioned that Mr Gachagua must navigate Kenya’s long-standing debate over power-sharing beyond the Kikuyu–Kalenjin axis.
“If he wants to avoid being trapped by history, he has to embrace dynamic partnerships—with Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Fred Matiang’i, George Natembeya and other political leaders,” he added.
Already, his allies are positioning him as the opposition’s flagbearer.
“We are treating Mr Gachagua as the presidential candidate to battle the incumbent in 2027. Our mission is to see him on the ballot,” Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala told the Nation .
Mr Malala said the only exception would be if consensus within the opposition yielded a different candidate.
“Let President Ruto rest easy for now. The man they impeached has won favour among God and man. He has risen from the ashes—not for revenge, but to liberate Kenya,” Mr Malala declared.
Former UDA Secretary-General Cleophas Malala.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Even the Jubilee Party, led by former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s allies, appears to recognise Mr Gachagua’s rising political influence.
“We are in agreement that Gachagua is the only man who can verbally battle Ruto—effortlessly but effectively,” Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni recently told Inooro FM.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua leaves JKIA after this arrival on August 21, 2025.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
“The impeachment politics did not work. Mt Kenya voters rallied around him, and nearly a year later, he is still setting the national agenda. Government critics see him as their mouthpiece against excesses,” he explained.
But President Ruto’s allies insist Mr Gachagua is overrated. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen branded him “a national security threat, disruptive and anarchic,” while Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi dismissed him as a passing storm.
“Mr Gachagua is being overhyped. When we launch our 2027 campaign, you will see how irrelevant he truly is,” Mr Sudi said.
Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi during distribution of Uwezo Fund cheques to youth, women and people living with disabilities in Kapseret on June 20, 2025.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Yet, the sustained attacks from senior government officials—including Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi—only deepen the perception that Mr Gachagua poses a real threat to President Ruto’s re-election.
“He was supposed to be finished after impeachment. Instead, he is now setting the agenda. His opponents have elevated him through constant attacks,” Funyula MP Oundo Midenyo observed.
Chairperson of DCP’s Council of Eminent Persons Maina Kamanda said that Mr Gachagua faces an overflowing in-tray
“The opposition must be kept alive and vibrant. It is now clear whose hands that task falls to,”he said.
Kajiado North MP Onesmus Ngogoyo, a close ally, said Mr Gachagua’s 2027 agenda is threefold: unite Mt Kenya to vote as a bloc, mentor young leaders to sustain regional politics and defeat President Ruto.
“Gachagua is not selfish. He is fully committed to a liberated Kenya after 2027,” he said.
