Rigathi Gachagua, the impeached Deputy President turned opposition firebrand, has ushered in 2026 with a blistering indictment of the Kenya Kwanza administration, describing the past year as “unstable, disturbing, and painful” for the ordinary citizen. In a New Year address that felt less like a holiday greeting and more like a campaign war cry, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader painted a picture of a nation in freefall, suffocated by punitive taxation and state indifference.

This is not just a critique; it is a calculation. By zeroing in on the visceral struggles of households—from the chaotic transition to the Social Health Authority (SHA) to the starving coffers of public schools—Gachagua is positioning his “Skiza Wakenya” (Listen to Kenyans) movement as the only viable alternative to a government he claims has stopped listening.

The ‘Crushed’ Middle Class

Gachagua’s statement, released from his Nairobi command center, did not mince words about the economic reality facing the wananchi. He alleged that reckless fiscal policies and aggressive tax hikes have pushed an estimated two million more Kenyans below the poverty line in the last 12 months alone.

“The middle class has been crushed and weakened,” Gachagua noted, highlighting that the disposable income of salaried Kenyans has evaporated under the heat of new statutory deductions. For the average Nairobi family, this translates to impossible choices: paying school fees or buying food, funding healthcare or servicing loans.

The DCP leader’s critique focused heavily on three specific failures he argues defined 2025:

• The Healthcare Crisis: He pointed to the “dysfunctional” Social Health Authority (SHA), which replaced NHIF, leaving patients stranded at facilities like Kenyatta National Hospital without coverage.
• Education Paralysis: He cited the delayed capitation funds that have left public school heads struggling to keep learners in class.
• Human Rights: Moving beyond economics, he warned of a return to the dark days of “abductions and extrajudicial killings,” dismissing the government’s narrative that tribalism is the enemy. “The problem is not tribalism; it is the theft of public resources,” he asserted.

A Political Rebirth

Since his impeachment in October 2024, many wrote Gachagua’s political obituary. Yet, his pivot to the DCP in May 2025 has seen him carve out a new niche. By adopting the symbol of a hand holding an ear, he is drawing a sharp contrast between his “listening” outfit and President William Ruto’s administration, which he characterizes as arrogant and out of touch.

Political analyst Jane Wanjiru observes that Gachagua is effectively weaponizing the government’s implementation gaps. “He is no longer speaking as a jilted insider but as a vindicated outsider,” Wanjiru explained. “Every time the SHA system fails or a school sends a child home for fees, Gachagua’s narrative gains traction.”

Backed by allies like DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala, Gachagua is reportedly building a “One Term” coalition, reaching out to opposition veterans to form a united front ahead of 2027. While the government has dismissed his team as mere “noisemakers,” the resonance of his economic message in the populous Mt. Kenya region and beyond suggests the noise is finding an audience.

“We must reboot the economic, political, and moral direction of our country,” Gachagua declared in his closing remarks. “2026 must be the year we reclaim our dignity.”