Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared that Kenya’s opposition will unveil a single presidential candidate by December 2025 to challenge President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during an engagement with Kenyans living in the United States on Friday, Gachagua revealed that opposition leaders have agreed to set aside personal ambitions and rally behind one candidate, who will be selected through a consensus-driven process.
“Around December, we’ll produce one candidate to face him [Ruto],” Gachagua said, adding that unity is crucial if the opposition is to deny Ruto a second term.
The DCP (Democratic Change Party) leader expressed willingness to support any candidate chosen by the coalition, naming Kalonzo Musyoka, Fred Matiang’i, Eugene Wamalwa, and Martha Karua as potential flag bearers. “If by God’s grace they pick me, nitakimbiza yeye sana,” he said, hinting at his own readiness to take on Ruto if selected.
Gachagua warned that internal divisions within the opposition would only serve Ruto’s re-election prospects. “We are clear in our mind that we cannot allow ourselves to be divided because he will slip through,” he cautioned.
He praised the spirit of selflessness displayed by opposition leaders, saying, “All of us are selfless. We’ll stick together to the end.”
Gachagua is currently on a two-month tour of the United States, accompanied by his wife, Dorcas. He left Kenya on the night of July 10 and is scheduled to visit Dallas, California, Seattle, Boston, and Baltimore.
During his trip, he plans to host town hall meetings, attend social gatherings, and meet with American investors interested in supporting the opposition’s vision for Kenya’s future. The tour is part of a broader effort to position the opposition as a credible and unified alternative to President Ruto’s administration.
Insiders have indicated that Gachagua’s engagements with diaspora communities and foreign investors are aimed at building international networks and financial backing ahead of the 2027 polls.
