Former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has refuted claims that he urged rival opposition parties in the Mt. Kenya region to fold and merge into his party.
Speaking at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri, Gachagua dismissed allegations of attempting to orchestrate a single-party umbrella in the region, challenging rival political figures to step up their own mobilization efforts instead of “complaining at press conferences.”
Gachagua maintained that he never demanded other parties cease operations or dissolve. “I have not said people should fold their parties. I am just asking people to join DCP, and I am doing it daily,” he clarified.
He urged regional political leaders to actively build their own party bases rather than asking DCP to slow down its outreach. “Everybody must sell their respective parties. I cannot sell another person’s party,” Gachagua stated.
He highlighted key opposition figures—including Narc-Kenya’s Martha Karua—for actively popularizing their outfits, encouraging others to follow suit.
The joint caucus rejected Gachagua’s positioning as the region’s sole political spokesman, arguing that multi-party democracy and constitutional rights under Article 38 must be respected.
The friction stems from DCP’s recent aggressive grassroots campaigns and victory in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election. Following the win, Gachagua announced ambitious plans for DCP to field candidates across all 47 counties for positions ranging from Governor to MCA in the upcoming 2027 General Election. While Gachagua continues his 45-day consultation push to build a formidable opposition alliance against the ruling coalition, local party leaders insist that future alliances will only happen through voluntary cooperation rather than party mergers.
