Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has taunted President William Ruto, saying he looks forward to receiving his defeat-conceding call and request for protection at midnight on August 10, 2027, on his way to losing the vote by a margin of more than seven million votes.
Mr Gachagua made the remarks on Friday evening as he addressed supporters in Portland, Oregon, during his ongoing tour of the United States of America.
He warned the President that he will lose the election, even though he fears he has planted two female spies in the camp of one of the opposition principals.
“We were recently attending a strategy meeting in a Nairobi hotel. There was this principal whom we had admitted into the United Opposition, and he had two girls. We were not even through with the meeting when I saw a breaking news item about what we were discussing flash on my phone’s screen,” he said.
However, Mr Gachagua warned President Ruto that he could only be protected if he left office without the blemish of corruption and aggression on human rights.
Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) Party Leader Rigathi Gachagua makes his address during a media briefing at the parties offices on August 11, 2026.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation
“I want to make it clear that the opposition government will not protect thieves of public resources, murderers and abductors of Gen Z, and those who attacked churches using goons and rogue police officers. This specifically should make those who have served as Interior CS during the dark era of extrajudicial killings, abductions and enforced disappearances very afraid,” he said.
Mr Gachagua further assured his followers that he is not interested in securing a meeting with President Ruto, who will also be touring the US later this month for the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“Ignore his propagandists who are all over spreading falsehoods that I intend to meet President Ruto here in America. That is none of my interest,” he said.
Mr Gachagua warned that the path to 2027 requires maximum strategic patience, tactical discipline and a complete focus on the head of state.
“I am calling on my supporters to cease getting bothered by moles and detractors. Let us focus on President Ruto as our common enemy,” he said.
Explaining why the opposition has deliberately delayed setting up a joint secretariat, Gachagua admitted that the risk of State espionage is exceptionally high, saying a secretariat is the weakest link in any coalition.
He was responding to former joint United Opposition spokesman Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, who has since left in a huff, complaining that the principal parties were not committed to a joint secretariat.
According to Mr Gachagua, a formal secretariat with offices and staff would be easy for the State to bug, infiltrate and compromise, and therefore the coalition has opted to operate through informal principal-level consultations until much closer to the election.
Dr Mukhisa Kituyi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Responding to a recent demand made by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who has pushed for the immediate naming of a joint flag bearer, Gachagua said an early announcement would give State House time to unleash State machinery against the candidate and the opposition.
“He is a man of conviction. I admit I nearly believed the ‘watermelon’ narrative manufactured by his detractors, but his steadfastness has proven otherwise,” he said.
Mr Gachagua further warned the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) that it will not win leniency from the opposition.
He insisted that the coalition will intensely police the electoral body’s operations to ensure total transparency. He announced that each major opposition party will second a technical expert to shadow IEBC processes, from procurement of materials to results transmission.
To avoid a fallout after the primaries, Gachagua demanded that every principal must sign a binding, public commitment to back whoever emerges as the ticket winner during the nomination process.
Dismissing fears of systemic rigging, Gachagua assured voters that extensive safeguards are being mapped out.
“Our vote will not be stolen this time. We are smarter, and the ground is entirely solid,” he said.
Former Deputy President and DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua (left) Jubilee Party Deputy Leader Fred Matiang’i and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka at a past function in Nairobi.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
Mr Gachagua further expressed fears that an incoming opposition government will inherit a thoroughly commercialised State House.
“Citizens have been indoctrinated into the culture of seeing State House as a place for tokenism and voter bribery. The incumbent has further made State House a corporate enterprise dominating local economic sectors where tenders, teachers’ and police employment letters are dished out, permits and State contracts are now concentrated within a small circle around the presidency,” he said.
Gachagua further pitched what he called a citizen-centric manifesto to be implemented should the opposition sweep into power.
Gachagua promised an intensive, time-bound restructuring programme anchored on 11 distinct pillars, which he termed the “Citizen Rescue Charter”.
He said removal of Dr Ruto is the primary and immediate democratic objective to rescue what he defined as the country’s crashing economic state.
“Second is restoration of the rule of law through an aggressive legal crackdown on State-sponsored violence. All State goons and individuals responsible for the abduction and murder of Gen Z protestors will be arrested and formally charged. Those in the security department who failed to protect Kenyans will be made to account for it,” he said.
“Third is putting in place measures to fight corruption. Fourth is recovery of all public assets stolen by top-ranking government officials, including land and money held abroad. Fifth is universal free primary education, then universal healthcare reforms aimed at curing the country’s broken medical insurance systems to guarantee dignity and affordability for low-income households,” he said.
He added that the seventh goal will be rescuing the payslip through an immediate repeal of the controversial Housing Levy and all related “unreasonable and punitive taxes” to give workers more disposable income.
“Eighth is a pro-business environment by introducing a single, consolidated business permit to eliminate multi-agency harassment and county-national government duplication. Ninth is absolute respect for constitutional freedoms by ensuring that the State completely respects freedom of speech, assembly and the press without intimidation or surveillance,” he said.
The tenth agenda will be settling all pending bills within one year, while the eleventh will be combating substance abuse through the creation of a dedicated, fully funded State Department specifically tasked with dealing with drug addiction and mental health, and establishing modern rehabilitation centres across all 47 counties.
