Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan Abdi has dumped the Jubilee Party and joined former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), in a fresh political realignment ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Hassan was formally received into DCP by Gachagua at the party’s headquarters in Lavington, Nairobi, on Tuesday, August 25.
The veteran lawmaker, who has represented Kamukunji since 2011, said he was joining DCP because the party was committed to changing the country’s political direction.
“I am happy to join the DCP party because it is a party that wants the best for Kenyans. It is a party that wants change for Kenyans because they are tired of bad politics,” Hassan said.
Hassan also declared his support for Gachagua’s 2027 presidential ambitions, saying the move would see him seek another term as Kamukunji MP on a DCP ticket.
His defection gives Gachagua another sitting MP in Nairobi as DCP works to establish itself in the capital ahead of the 2027 elections.
Hassan now joins Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje and Starehe MP Amos Mwago, who have also moved from Jubilee to DCP. The three were elected on Jubilee tickets in the 2022 elections.
The latest defections have further weakened Jubilee’s parliamentary presence in Nairobi, with DCP increasingly attracting politicians from the former ruling party.
Hassan, Mwenje and Mwago were also among the 40 MPs who voted against the Finance Bill 2026. Gachagua praised the lawmakers after the vote, describing them as leaders who had stood with ordinary Kenyans.
The move has already attracted reactions from DCP allies.
Former nominated Senator Millicent Omanga welcomed Hassan into the party, describing his decision as evidence that the political tide was shifting in favour of Gachagua’s movement.
“Hon. Yusuf Hassan joins the DCP family, a clear sign that the political tide is turning. Nairobi is speaking, Kenya is watching, and our movement is growing stronger every day,” Omanga said.
“We are reaping big because Kenyans are ready for a new direction. The next government is being built now. DCP is coming, and we are taking Kasongo home!” she added.
Gachagua, who is positioning DCP as a major vehicle ahead of 2027, has been seeking to expand the party beyond its traditional political base.
The entry of Hassan, a veteran Nairobi politician with a strong presence in Kamukunji and Eastleigh, could give the former Deputy President an important foothold as he seeks to build a broader coalition for the 2027 presidential race.
The defection comes as political parties and politicians increasingly realign ahead of the next General Election, with both the government and opposition camps seeking to consolidate support across the country.
