Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, now leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party, has urged salaried Kenyans to take greater responsibility in shaping the country’s political future.
His call came on Sunday after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced that continuous voter registration would commence on 29 September 2025.
Speaking at a party forum, Gachagua criticised what he described as the indifference of the middle class during elections. “I want to talk to the middle class, the payslip holder,” he said.
“You cannot stay at home reading novels and watching movies during election days. You cannot sit and wait for other Kenyans to make the changes you keep complaining about. You must lead by example. Do not sit back and cry when things do not go as you expect.”
Gachagua was impeached in 2024 after a bruising fallout with the Kenya Kwanza administration, but has since rebranded himself as an opposition voice.
His party has been vocal in mobilising urban professionals and young voters, many of whom played a central role in last year’s Gen Z protests. The Democracy for Citizens Party has also been associated with the “one term campaign,” which seeks to deny the current government re-election in 2027.
Supporters of Gachagua say his appeal to the middle class is timely.
They argue that Kenya’s professionals, despite their online activism, often abstain from voting, allowing outcomes to be decided by more organised blocs.
President William Ruto’s allies, however, dismissed the remarks as political posturing. They argue that the opposition is exploiting public discontent while offering little in terms of practical solutions.
