Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has cautioned Mt Kenya voters against allowing political divisions to weaken the Opposition ahead of the 2027 General Election, warning that a fragmented region could undermine efforts to defeat President William Ruto.
Gachagua, who leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), said the Opposition had the numbers to win the presidential contest but needed to maintain unity and avoid internal disagreements that could split its support base.
Speaking during an interview with a vernacular television station on Sunday night, Gachagua expressed confidence in the Opposition’s electoral prospects, arguing that its biggest threat was the possibility of political divisions among leaders and voters.
“I am convinced that the Opposition will win, if it does not allow itself to be divided,” he said.
The former Deputy President singled out the Mt Kenya region, which remains an important electoral battleground, saying its political direction would play a significant role in determining the Opposition’s chances in 2027.
He urged residents to rally behind a common presidential candidate rather than allowing competing political interests to divide their votes.
Gachagua warned that he could consider relocating to the United States with his family if the Opposition lost the election because of divisions within the region.
“If our people allow themselves to be divided, I will just board a plane and go to the US. I have a home there,” he said.
He further suggested that he would not wait until after the elections to make his decision if he became convinced that Mt Kenya residents were being misled by their own political leaders.
“If I see that our people have been misled and divided through their own leaders, because I will be woke, I will not be here in Kenya,” he added.
Gachagua maintained that he had made considerable efforts to unite the region and would not take responsibility if voters ignored his calls for political cohesion.
“I have tried to unite the region, so no one will ask me any question. No one will ask me the reason for fleeing. I will just go to America with my people because I have a home there,” he said.
Gachagua’s Mt Kenya Political Strategy Ahead of 2027
The remarks highlight the growing contest over political influence in Mt Kenya as various leaders position themselves to shape the region’s political direction ahead of the next General Election.
Gachagua has continued to present himself as a central figure in efforts to mobilise Mt Kenya voters behind the Opposition, particularly following his fallout with President Ruto and subsequent impeachment as Deputy President.
However, the former Deputy President is not the only politician seeking to influence the region’s political future.
People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, who leads the People’s Party of Kenya (PPK), are among the leaders who have also positioned themselves as influential voices in Mt Kenya politics.
The emergence of multiple political centres raises questions about whether the region’s leaders can agree on a common political position before the 2027 elections.
Gachagua recently returned to Kenya following an extended visit to the United States, where he reportedly interacted with Kenyans living abroad and spent time at his home. He left the country on August 26 and returned on October 20.
