NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 6 – Former Deputy President and Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has cautioned opposition leaders against spending too much time in boardroom meetings at the expense of grassroots mobilisation, arguing that elections are won on the ground and not in hotels.
Addressing delegates from Subukia, Nakuru County, on Thursday, Gachagua said the opposition should channel its energy towards building support across the country instead of engaging in endless strategy sessions and leadership negotiations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
He maintained that the immediate priority should be to unite Kenyans behind a common agenda to unseat President William Ruto before settling the question of who will fly the opposition flag.
“I have told my colleagues that we should not waste time in workshops, seminars or strategic meetings. Let us first do the work. Once we have achieved our objective, we can sit down and decide who will lead us,” Gachagua said.
The former Deputy President dismissed claims that he was inflexible in coalition negotiations, insisting his approach was informed by experience from previous election campaigns.
“I am not rigid. I am strategic because I have been in this game before,” he said.
Drawing from past presidential campaigns, Gachagua argued that victory has always depended on securing strong regional support rather than prolonged boardroom discussions.
He cited the campaigns that propelled Presidents William Ruto, Uhuru Kenyatta and the late Mwai Kibaki to power, saying each was built on disciplined political mobilisation in key voting blocs before leadership questions were settled.
Gachagua also urged leaders within the opposition coalition to avoid public infighting, warning that internal disputes only strengthen the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration.
He said he had instructed members of his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) to ignore insults and criticism from within the opposition and instead remain focused on holding the government accountable and building support ahead of the next election.
“Do not lose focus. Ignore the noise and concentrate on the task ahead. Fighting one another only benefits those in government,” he said.
His remarks come amid ongoing consultations among opposition parties over the formation of a united front to challenge President Ruto in the 2027 General Election, with coalition leaders yet to agree on a presidential candidate and the coalition’s leadership structure.
Party of National Unity (PNU) leader Peter Munya had described former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua as a bully, escalating tensions within the Opposition and exposing growing differences as parties seek to forge a united front ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Wednesday night, Munya accused the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader of intimidating fellow politicians and using inflammatory language that risks undermining unity within the Opposition.
“Gachagua is a bully. You saw when he talked about the Governor of Murang’a, calling him ‘kiherehere’, and the governor was attacked by goons when he went to Ol Kalou. We think he needs to act more responsibly when dealing with leaders and all human beings. Use your language more courteously, and you’ll go further than you have gone,” Munya said.
The former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary said the Opposition’s success in 2027 would depend on mutual respect among its leaders, accusing Gachagua of sidelining other influential figures from the Mt Kenya region.
“Humble yourself and address other people with respect. Embrace a structured way of dealing with issues. Look at Meru. Apart from Kiambu and Nyeri, we are one of the biggest voting blocs in the region and, as such, you should not dismiss us and start treating us as children,” he said.
Munya, however, declined to describe Gachagua as the Mt Kenya region’s political kingpin, saying no such office exists, although he acknowledged that the former Deputy President remains an influential political figure.
His remarks come amid growing debate over leadership within the Opposition, days after Gachagua dismissed concerns raised by Munya and other leaders, insisting parties allied to the Opposition should strengthen themselves instead of complaining about DCP’s growing influence.
Munya also defended PNU’s decision to field a candidate in the recent Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, where Edwin Kariri garnered just 28 votes.
He revealed that the party had initially advised Kariri against contesting because Opposition parties were seeking to rally behind a single candidate. However, the university student insisted on running to gain political experience.
“A young man who is in university came to my office and wanted to vie; we told him we are in the United Opposition, we want one candidate, and he was unlikely to win. He asked us, ‘Are you going to deny me the right to participate to get experience of running merely because I will not win?’ I was touched, and we decided to let him run,” Munya said.
He added that he did not campaign for the PNU candidate and disclosed that the party later tried to convince him to withdraw from the race.
“Did you see me in Ol Kalou campaigning for him? In fact, at one point we persuaded him to step down. He discussed it with the DCP candidate that he wanted to publicly step down, but the DCP candidate advised him not to,” Munya said.
