Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has announced a 45-day political retreat at his Wamunyoro residence in Mathira, Nyeri County, as part of a mobilisation push to oust President William Ruto.
Gachagua said he would temporarily withdraw from public political rallies to focus on consultations aimed at unifying the opposition behind a single presidential candidate for 2027.
He made the announcement a day after the High Court upheld his impeachment while awarding him Sh50 million for violation of his right to a fair hearing.
“From Monday I will camp in Wamunyoro village for 45 days to start exhaustive and extensive consultations with my supporters, opinion leaders and stakeholders on the formula of identifying a single presidential candidate to face President William Ruto,” he said.
Gachagua revealed that a 16-member caucus comprising elders, professionals, clergy, youth leaders and political advisers convened after the High Court ruling and concluded that the opposition’s mobilisation phase against the Kenya Kwanza administration was largely complete.
He said the next stage would be negotiations to agree on a common opposition candidate capable of unseating President Ruto in 2027.
“They have instructed me that having a single presidential candidate against William Ruto is not negotiable and is the only way to liberate this country,” he said.
The DCP leader said his political movement had already consolidated support in the Mount Kenya region and built alliances across the country, positioning the opposition for the next phase of political engagement.
He said the Wamunyoro consultations would explore two scenarios: one in which he emerges as the opposition’s preferred presidential candidate, and another in which a different leader is chosen through consensus.
Under either outcome, Gachagua said he would support the final decision.
“Plan A is if the formula favours me as the presidential flag bearer. Plan B is if another colleague is agreed upon. In either case, we shall have one candidate against William Ruto,” he said.
He maintained that he remains eligible to contest the presidency despite the High Court ruling upholding his impeachment, insisting that ongoing appeals preserve his political rights.
Gachagua also accused political rivals of spreading false narratives about his eligibility, saying they were driven by fear of his potential candidacy.
At the same time, he launched a fresh attack on the High Court ruling, describing it as contradictory for finding that his constitutional right to a fair hearing was violated while allowing the impeachment to stand.
He said his legal team had been instructed to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal, arguing that the impeachment process should have been nullified once the court found breaches of Articles 25, 47 and 50 of the Constitution.
Despite the legal setback, Gachagua expressed confidence in the opposition’s prospects, claiming he has the political networks, infrastructure and support base necessary to mount a strong presidential campaign.
In one of his strongest political declarations yet, he vowed to play a central role in efforts to remove President Ruto from office—either as the opposition’s flag bearer or as a key strategist for a consensus candidate.
“I mobilised votes that made William Ruto president. Together with my supporters, we will mobilise even more votes to send him home,” he said.
