Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua addresses journalists at his Karen home in Nairobi on June 9, 2026.
Within the United Opposition, the quashing of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment was seen as a poisoned political chalice.
His eligibility to run for the presidency is viewed within these circles as a threat to the unity of the camp, as well as to the ambitions of figures such as Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Dr Fred Matiang’i of the Jubilee Party, who are both angling for the presidential ticket.
For the two, Mr Gachagua would be more useful to their presidential bids as a kingmaker who can deliver millions of votes from his Mt Kenya backyard.
However, Mr Gachagua’s allies have in recent months sustained talk of him being on the ballot in the 2027 presidential election. In their argument, the ticket should go to the candidate most capable of delivering votes for the opposition camp.
Justices Fridah Mugambi, Eric Ogolla and Anthony Mrima during the delivery of their judgment in the case against the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at the Milimani High Court on June 8, 2026.
For Mr Gachagua, lifting the impeachment “shackles” is important for several reasons. Beyond being cleared to run for any public office, having the impeachment quashed would boost his political legitimacy, which is crucial for his public image. It would also allow him to project himself as a victim of political machinations by his former boss, President William Ruto.
It would further catalyse his efforts to consolidate the Mt Kenya region against President Ruto, as well as boost the popularity of his DCP party going into the 2027 elections. A Gachagua candidature would weaken Dr Ruto and his UDA further in the region, potentially hurting his re-election bid.
It is on the basis of these competing interests that Mr Gachagua has indicated his intention to pursue the matter to the very end. His next step is the Court of Appeal, with the opportunity to proceed to the Supreme Court.
Gatanga MP Edward Muriu told the Nation that the unfavourable judgment against Mr Gachagua was a blessing in disguise. He said Mr Gachagua gained popularity after being impeached through a politically motivated decision and was bound to gain more influence after Monday’s High Court verdict, which he described as a miscarriage of justice.
“He is politically stronger than ever before. He is where he is because of the impeachment. Now that the court has shown bias and constitutional manipulation to impress those in power, Gachagua has a bigger voice,” said Mr Muriu.
“The urge to remove Kenya Kwanza in 2027 is now stronger than ever before. Kenyans have realised they are on their own, and the only way to make our systems work is by kicking out this government,” he added.
Similar views were shared by DCP Deputy Party leader Cleophas Malala, who described the verdict as the beginning of an all-out war to free Mr Gachagua from the impeachment tag.
“It’s not over until it’s finally done,” said Mr Malala, who also criticised the three-judge bench over the decision.
DCP deputy party leader Cleophas Malala addresses the media at the party headquarters in Nairobi on May 20, 2026.
“Impeachment proceedings are among the most serious actions that can be taken against a public servant, as they carry profound consequences for reputation, career, and public trust,” said Mr Malala.
“Such proceedings must therefore meet the highest standards of procedural fairness and constitutional compliance.”
Article 75(3) of the Constitution states that a person who has been impeached is disqualified from holding any other state office.
The former Kakamega senator called for sober reflection and national dialogue on the country’s commitment to constitutional rights, or lack thereof.
“Constitutional rights must mean exactly what they say, for every Kenyan, under every circumstance,” Mr Malala said.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, an ally of Mr Musyoka, said the opposition remains united in pushing to have the court void Mr Gachagua’s impeachment. He said their resolve to deny President Ruto a second term remains intact despite the court setback.
Wantam momentum
“The United Alternative Government is laser-focused on delivering the Kenyan people from the misrule that defines the current regime,” said Mr Wambua.
“The one thing I am very happy about is that the High Court has explicitly declared that Rigathi Gachagua’s constitutional right to a fair trial was breached. The outcome of a flawed process cannot be legitimate,” he added.
Although the appeal option still offers Mr Gachagua hope of pursuing his political ambitions, it has the potential to frustrate his plans and ambitions.
In recent popularity ratings by pollsters, Mr Gachagua has been trailing some of his co-principals, partly because of the impeachment tag. In the absence of a verdict clearing him to run, his supporters are likely to become disillusioned, and may instead settle for alternatives within the United Opposition or opt to back President Ruto.
A delay in obtaining a favourable judgment is also likely to distract him from assembling his campaign team and mobilising resources for the contest. The High Court case, whose judgment was delivered on Monday by Justices Eric Ogola, Frida Mugambi and Antony Mrima, was first filed in mid-October 2024.
It took the court nearly a year and eight months to dispense with the matter. The country is barely 13 months away from the next poll, with the electoral calendar expected to begin rolling out from February 2027, about eight months from now.
Following his impeachment, Mr Gachagua refused to retreat from politics. Instead, he reinvented himself as a leading opposition figure, launched the DCP, and rallied a significant section of Mt Kenya voters around the “Wantam” slogan, a campaign aimed at denying President Ruto a second term in 2027.
Now a cloud of political uncertainty hangs over the Mt Kenya region after the High Court upheld Mr Gachagua’s impeachment in October 2024.
The judgment immediately triggered debate over how the region will approach the 2027 General Election, with political analysts identifying several possible scenarios likely to shape the area's future political direction.
Political analyst Munywoki Mulila said the region could find itself searching for a new political anchor ahead of 2027 if pessimism continues to grow around Mr Gachagua’s prospects in the Court of Appeal and, potentially, the Supreme Court.
Jubilee Party leader Uhuru Kenyatta addresses delegates at Kiambu Golf Club in Kiambu County on May 25, 2026.
He noted that while former President Uhuru Kenyatta could regain some political influence in the region, it could be limited. He argued that Mr Kenyatta faces challenges reconnecting with the grassroots because of shifting political alliances over the years.
“Many voters see a leader who partnered with Dr Ruto in 2013, backed Raila Odinga in 2022 and is now associated with Fred Matiang’i. That has created some distance between him and a section of voters who prefer one of their own to champion regional interests,” he said.
“Mr Gachagua remains highly rated because he presents himself as a leader willing to take political risks for the people of the region and because he openly expresses confidence in the ability of local leaders to lead,” he added.
Political scientist John Okumu said the judgment could trigger renewed efforts by President Ruto to win back support in Mt Kenya.
“This judgment may present an opportunity for him to take advantage of the uncertainty and improve his fortunes in a region that overwhelmingly supported him in 2022,” Mr Okumu said.
Naivasha MP Jane Kihara makes his address during the burial ceremony of John Muhia, father to Kipipiri MP, Wanjiku Muhia, in Malewa Ranch in Nyandarua County on January 7, 2026.
According to Naivasha MP Jane Kihara, one of the greatest risks arising from the verdict is political apathy among Mt Kenya voters.
“We will mobilise our people to keep the opposition spirit alive and strengthen the resolve to vote out a government that has clearly gone rogue. The worst thing we can do is adopt a loser mentality and abandon the Wantam momentum,” she said.
Ms Kihara argued that Mr Gachagua does not need to hold elective office to remain influential.
Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje shared similar sentiments, saying the region could pursue a more independent political path and position itself as a bloc capable of negotiating power after the election.
“The challenge before us is how to transform Mr Gachagua into a figure similar to Raila Odinga—someone who, even without holding elective office, can command significant political numbers and influence post-election negotiations,” he said.
Kikuyu Council of Elders chairman Wachira Kiago maintained that Mr Gachagua remains a central figure in the region's political calculations despite the court ruling.
“Mr Gachagua remains our son and our leader. The ruling does not remove him from our hearts. It is merely a political setback. As a council, we stand firmly with him. As he pursues justice in the Court of Appeal and, if necessary, the Supreme Court, he remains a critical pillar in our journey towards 2027. His voice matters, impeached or otherwise,” Mr Kiago said.
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