Gachagua’s ‘acting SG’ strategy: How DCP crafted legal shield for Senator Methu
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, May 26, 2026Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has appointed Nyandarua Senator John Methu, setting off a new political and legal debate over party loyalty and Kenya’s anti-defection law, as the new Democracy for the Citizens (DCP) Secretary General, replacing founding secretary Hezron Obaga.
Speaking at the party headquarters in Nairobi on Monday, May 25, Gachagua said Methu will also serve as the party spokesperson and lead DCP’s political campaigns ahead of the Ol Kalou by-election scheduled for July 16.
Following a resolution of the National Executive Committee, we have appointed John Methu as the new secretary general of the party, effective immediately. He will also take on the role of party spokesperson and will be responsible for coordinating our national political operations,” Gachagua said.
“This decision has been made in line with our commitment to strengthen the party’s leadership structure as we prepare for upcoming political engagements, including the Ol Kalou by-election scheduled for July 16,” he added
The party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) approved the changes in leadership and tasked Methu to lead the mobilisation efforts and boost the party’s grassroots ahead of the 2027 General Election, Gachagua said.
The outspoken first-time senator accepted the appointment despite legal challenges over his ongoing membership with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, which sponsored him to the Senate, raising questions.
The appointment has revealed what looks like a well-planned political and legal approach by Gachagua to curb any effects of the defection of Methu as a UDA-elected member under the constitution and, at the same time, to bolster DCP.
According to Article 103(1)(e) of the Constitution, Members of Parliament (MPs) and Senators are disqualified from being Members of Parliament if they resign from the political party from which they were elected.
Assuming an executive position in another political party would normally be considered political defection. But it seems DCP deliberately did not cross that legal line by nominating Methu as an acting, rather than as a substantive, secretary general.
In announcing the candidacy, Gachagua used the term “acting” or “secretary-general designate”, which seems to have been strategically used to give himself a legal leg to stand on when transferring to a party.
The legal shield
The genius of the plan is that it gets the technical aspects of Kenya’s political party laws right.
The formal resignation from the political party in charge or the registration of an official as an office-holder in another party is generally required to formally oust an elected official. DCP seems to be taking advantage of a constitutional grey area that separates the political from formal legal documentation.
So in essence, Methu can politically be in Gachagua’s camp while officially still being a member of the UDA. That distinction could prevent him from facing legal repercussions.
Party hopping is strongly discouraged by the Constitution, but less so regarding possible positions of political transition before the update of the registrar’s records.
The political impact of the move is to signal Gachagua is vigorously developing an alternative political machine in the Mt Kenya region, with serving UDA leaders joining the DCP ahead of 2027.
To have a top operational role in DCP projects filled by a sitting senator who holds the ticket of a new party of President William Ruto strengthens Gachagua and only reveals the rift in the ruling team.
UDA’s expected reaction
Meanwhile, the appointment puts UDA in a hot seat politically. If Methu does not get a run-down, there is a possibility that many elected officials will become shameless bedfellows with other parties without losing their positions. But demanding his removal may spark a big court struggle over the meaning of “defection” in the Constitution.
The DCP party can take recourse to Article 38 of the constitution, which gives a guarantee of the political rights and freedom of association.
For the foreseeable future, Gachagua’s “acting SG” approach could become one of the most complex political survival techniques in Kenya’s developing party politics, given the uncertainty surrounding the matter.