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After months of political silence, Kenya’s former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua re-entered the national stage with thunder—and not just in rhetoric. On Thursday, May 15, the former second-in-command unveiled a new political outfit, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), at a ceremony in Nairobi’s affluent Lavington suburb. The event was billed as a comeback and a new beginning, but it quickly spiraled into chaos, throwing the spotlight onto Kenya’s fragile political climate just two years before the country’s next general elections.
Gachagua is positioning himself as an opposition leader and a serious contender for the presidency in 2027. With the official launch of the DCP, he declared his political resurrection; and fired the opening salvo in what is expected to be a bruising campaign season.
Gachagua’s absence from public life followed his unceremonious exit from the inner circle of President William Ruto’s administration. Once Ruto’s trusted lieutenant and a key architect of the 2022 electoral victory, Gachagua’s fall from grace was swift and steep. He was impeached from office in 2024 amid allegations of insubordination and internal wrangling, a move many of his supporters believe was politically motivated.
Since then, the former DP retreated to his home in Nyeri County in central Kenya, where he says he spent six months in reflection and grassroots consultations. “I chose to listen to the people,” he said during Thursday’s address. “They are tired of lofty promises. They are yearning for leadership that listens, not one that lectures.”
Gachagua framed the DCP as a political vehicle crafted directly from public frustration, a response to what he termed “widespread misrule, corruption, and betrayal” by the ruling regime.
The new party’s slogan, Skiza Wakenya; Swahili for Listen to Kenyans, encapsulates its ethos. Its emblem, a hand cupping an ear, reinforces the message that this is a party built on dialogue, not decrees. The party’s colors; green, red, white, and black, echo those of the national flag, symbolizing continuity, patriotism, and identity.
The DCP’s leadership, unveiled at the launch, spans the demographic and political spectrum. Notable appointments include former Agriculture Minister Mithika Linturi as National Organizing Secretary, ex-Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala as interim Deputy Party Leader, and veteran politician Cate Waruguru as National Women’s Leader.
Violence Mars Party Launch
Despite the carefully curated message of unity and reform, the event was overshadowed by violence. Midway through the launch, chaos erupted as a group of unidentified individuals stormed the venue, pelting stones and clashing with Gachagua’s private security detail. Gunshots rang out; fired into the air by security officers in an attempt to disperse the attackers. In the fracas, several journalists were injured, and some reported being assaulted by security personnel who allegedly confiscated their equipment and deleted their recordings.
The incident raised fresh concerns about freedom of the press, political tolerance, and the shrinking democratic space in Kenya. While the motive behind the attack remains unclear, Gachagua wasted no time pointing fingers.
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, he blamed the assault on unnamed political opponents, suggesting it was part of a sustained campaign of intimidation. “Once again, goons were sent to disrupt a peaceful gathering of Kenyans,” he wrote. “But we will not be silenced. We will organize, we will mobilize, and we will win.”
Gachagua went on to list a string of past incidents he claims were part of this pattern: a funeral disrupted in Limuru, a tear gas attack on a prayer rally in Nyandarua, and the alleged assault of worshippers in Nyeri.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen dismissed the claims, instead faulting the organizers for failing to inform police about the launch. “The National Police Service was not notified. Preliminary investigations indicate that the chaos may have stemmed from unpaid supporters and poor event planning,” Murkomen said at a press briefing.
Eyeing 2027
Two days after the launch, Gachagua gave an exclusive interview to Citizen TV where he made his political ambitions clear: he wants to unseat President Ruto and is ready to lead the opposition in doing so.
“I believe I’m the best-suited candidate to take on Ruto in 2027,” he said. “But I’m also willing to work with others—because this country must be saved.”
Among those he’s recently held meetings with is former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, signaling a potential reunion of former adversaries now united by a common goal: toppling Ruto. Gachagua likened the current opposition unity efforts to those of 2002, when an alliance of opposition parties swept the late Daniel arap Moi’s ruling party from power after 24 years.
“The same spirit is alive today,” he said. “This country is in the grip of mismanagement, state capture, corruption, and impunity. Kenyans want change, and they’re ready to fight for it.”
He added, with a nod to traditional Kikuyu wisdom, “In my community, we say that buffalos don’t walk in herds because they love each other, but because the danger of walking alone is too great. The danger we face as a country forces us to walk together.”
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