Gachagua assures of fair DCP nominations, opposition unity
By Luke Oluoch, September 7, 2025Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has moved in to quell the simmering disquiet within this Democracy For Citizens Party (DCP), assuring that the party will have a free and fair nomination process.
Speaking on Sunday, September 7, 2025, during a church service in Kipipiri, Gachagua stated his party was focused on delivering an impartial nomination exercise.
“Our party will have a free fair and nominations,” he stated.
Regarding the opposition politics, Gachagua also assured that opposition politicians had resolved to keep their unity under the United People’s opposition with the sole purpose of unseating President William Ruto’s regime.
One candidate
“We have agreed as a united opposition, and we have committed to producing one candidate to fight against Ruto,” he stated.
Gachagua also used the opportunity to rally the team behind the opposition and the candidate they will settle on to battle it out against Ruto in the 2027 polls.
“If we agree it is Kalonzo, will you support him? If it is Karua, will you vote for her?” he posed the question. If they decide I’m the one to run, then I will give Ruto a run for his money,” he added.
His comments come amid a mounting tension within the DCP circles following recent upheavals across the party’s branches in the country.
The tensions were sparked by the decamping of Mbeere North’s party aspirant Nicholas Mbui, who ditched the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua-led party and decided to go as an independent candidate.
The dispute quickly spread to Meru County, where a section of party members on Saturday, September 6, 2025, openly opposed recent leadership changes in the local branch, sparking tensions with the party’s top officials.
The members, mainly young aspirants, have warned party leader Rigathi Gachagua that they will block him from setting foot in Meru if their concerns are not addressed.
Benjamin Kimathi, a ward aspirant, said the manner in which the leadership was altered showed a lack of transparency. He argued that if officials could be changed overnight, members might also lose their party tickets during nominations.
“So mimi nimeona hii chama haiko transparent na hii chama imeanzia ukora mapema. Na kama inachange chairman usiku, ata ticket watatunyima.” he asked.
Another aspirant, Jimly Muriithi, accused the party of betraying its grassroots supporters. He reminded Gachagua that the Meru branch had played a big role in building the party’s presence in the region.
“Sisi ndo wenye chama. Sisi ndo tulitoka ground tukapigwa teargas. Itakuwaje tena tunakuja hapa kwa mtu mwenye tunaamini ndiye tunaweza kuongea naye tunapata ashatolewa. Ambia Gachagua hivi babangu. Sisi ni watu wa Nkubu, sisi ndo tulipiga goons uingie Meru. Ikitutoka tunaeka barrier hauingii meru county,” he warned.
The former DP’s party is expected to pit its wits against President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance in the coming byelections, with many terming the upcoming polls as decisive to the former Mathira lawmaker’s political future.