Gachagua declares Ruto’s 2027 hopes dead after Ol Kalou win
By Aloys Michael, July 22, 2026Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared that President William Ruto’s “dirty money” can no longer buy Kenyan votes, citing the opposition’s landslide victory in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election as proof that the president’s political strategy for 2027 is collapsing.
Speaking in an interview on a local TV station on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, Gachagua framed the DCP candidate’s win as a defining political moment that has shattered the ruling party’s aura of invincibility in the vote-rich Mt Kenya region.
“The people of Ol Kalau have proven to this country that dirty money means nothing. You can come with billions and bribe people to be elected; that is not possible,” the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader declared.
His remarks followed a decisive by-election where DCP candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru secured 35,440 votes, trouncing UDA’s Samuel Muchina Nyagah, who managed just 5,450 votes.
Gachagua outlined reasons for the prolonged celebrations, arguing the result represents far more than a single parliamentary seat.
“Number one, the people of Ol Kalau have proven to the country that William Ruto’s dirty money means nothing,” Gachagua said, claiming that residents rejected Ksh1.2 billion in bribes.
“The fact that the people of Ol Kalau have been bribed and they have refused to vote for his candidate is a confirmation that his dirty money means nothing in this country.”
At the same time, the former DP accused the government of deploying 2,000 police officers and four water cannons to intimidate voters, claiming residents barricaded polling stations with rocks and logs to stop claimed interference.
“Number two, why we are celebrating is that William Ruto can no longer deceive the people of Kenya,” Gachagua stated, accusing the president of using the Bible and bottom-up economic transformation agenda as a lie to deceive Christians and voters.
Blueprint for 2027
Gachagua said Ol Kalou has demonstrated that Kenyans can protect their votes against state interference, calling it a blueprint for defeating Ruto in 2027.
“Number three, people have been fearing that William Ruto can steal that election. In Ol Kalou, the people have shown that you cannot steal an election,” he said, claiming voters stopped attempts to stuff ballot papers by police. Voters also rejected violence: “The people said no.”
The former DP further declared that Ol Kalou signals the political death of UDA in Mt Kenya, warning that President Ruto may resort to sponsoring multiple small parties to split the vote, a tactic he said would fail.
“Even if they spend so much, this administration will go home. The people of Ol Kalou have proven to Kenyans that money alone cannot determine an election. We will continue to celebrate for a long time,” Gachagua asserted.
Looking ahead, Gachagua has vowed to mobilise 7 million votes from Mt Kenya and build alliances to unseat Ruto.
“I will mobilise 10 million voters to take him home.”