Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has stated that he will step aside from his 2027 presidential ambitions if the opposition coalition adopts a system that does not favour his candidacy. Speaking during his tour of the United States, Gachagua emphasized unity within the opposition and the need for a collective formula to unseat President William Ruto in the next general election.
Gachagua, who is currently mobilising support and launching satellite offices for his new political outfit Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) positioned himself as a leading contender for the top seat. However, he affirmed his willingness to put aside personal ambitions for the sake of unity.
“I am a front runner and I think I have the best chances to be President,” Gachagua said. “But I want to give you a commitment that if the formula does not favour me to send Ruto home, I will sacrifice my ambition to support whoever the system favours.”
According to Gachagua, the opposition has not yet settled on a presidential flagbearer, but discussions are ongoing to establish a fair and inclusive process. He insisted that the main goal is to replace the current administration, which he accused of poor governance.
“We have not settled on anybody. There’s only one thing that we have agreed on, and it’s one term. As for who will replace him (Ruto), not yet,” he said.
The former DP also dismissed recent reports claiming that former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has already been picked as the opposition’s 2027 candidate. He termed the reports as propaganda crafted by security agencies to sow division among opposition ranks.
He emphasized the importance of establishing a governance structure that tackles corruption and ends extrajudicial killings and abductions.
“Government is huge, there’s space for everybody,” he said. “We will agree who takes what position, provided we come up with a good formula to create good governance and fight corruption, killings, and abductions.”
Gachagua’s remarks signal a strategic shift as he seeks to rebrand himself as a unifying figure within the opposition movement.
