Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has officially launched the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), characterizing his exit from government as a betrayal and vowing to sweep Nairobi’s electoral map in 2027.

If revenge is a dish best served cold, Rigathi Gachagua prefers his heated. In a high-voltage rally at Roysambu Constituency, the former Deputy President stripped away any remaining pretenses of loyalty to his former boss, President William Ruto. Using the metaphor of a wedding gone wrong, Gachagua painted a vivid picture of political betrayal that resonated with the disaffected urban crowds of Nairobi.

“I made a mistake and I ask for your forgiveness; I went to a wedding in someone else's car,” Gachagua declared, referring to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). “When we arrived at the river, we were told to get out. Now we have become wise and built our own vehicle to seek power, the DCP.”

The Nairobi Strategy

The launch of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) is not merely a vanity project; it is a tactical surgical strike. Gachagua is explicitly targeting Nairobi—a county that has often oscillated between government and opposition. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-5)By partnering with Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Party under the "United Opposition" umbrella, Gachagua aims to create a pincer movement: locking down the Kikuyu vote in the city while Musyoka delivers the Kamba bloc.

The duo’s target is ambitious: the Governorship, the Senate seat, and a majority of the 17 parliamentary constituencies. “It is clear, like day and night, that on August 10, 2027, we shall triumph,” he promised.

A New Center of Power?

The formation of DCP complicates the calculus for President Ruto. Gachagua, despite his impeachment, retains a "martyr status" among segments of the electorate who feel the government has marginalized them. His rhetoric focuses heavily on "The Common Man" (mwananchi), attempting to reclaim the "Hustler" narrative that propelled Ruto to power in 2022.

• The Vehicle: Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).
• The Alliance: A pact with Wiper Party (United Opposition).
• The Target: A total sweep of Nairobi and Central Kenya seats.

With the 2027 drums already beating, Gachagua’s return to the arena confirms that while he may have lost the Deputy Presidency, he has no intention of losing his voice—or his bite.