Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed claims by Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba that she is being coerced into joining the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
Speaking on Monday, January 12, Gachagua said the pressure Wamuchomba is facing to join DCP is coming from her constituents and not from him.
The DCP leader said Githunguri residents are urging Wamuchomba to align herself with the party if she wants to be re-elected in the 2027 general election.
“Coerced by who? It is the constituency. If they are telling her she is not DCP, she is gone. What can I do about it? Mine is just to sell DCP. I am not asking her to join; I am saying if you want to be elected, come to DCP.
“I don’t elect leaders; it’s the citizens who elect. Then the people say yes, what Gachagua is saying is true, if you are not in DCP, you won’t be elected,” Gachagua stated.
The former Deputy President further distanced himself from accusations of intimidation, saying he is only responsible for setting the political tone in Mt Kenya.
“The constituents are intimidating her, and they are telling her to follow what the leader is saying. It’s not me, mine is just to set the tempo. Whether people agree with me or not is not for me to decide. I have not told anybody not to join any other party. I have just told people to join DCP,” added Gachagua.
This comes days after Wamuchomba alleged that Gachagua has resorted to threats and insults in an attempt to coerce her into joining DCP.
In a statement on January 5, the Githunguri lawmaker noted that similar tactics were used against her during Gachagua’s tenure as Deputy President when she opposed the Finance Bill 2023.
“Now, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is using threats and insults to intimidate me to join DCP Party. When he was DP, he did the same to intimidate me when I voted ‘No’ for the Finance Bill 2023. God deflated him painfully,” she said.
Wamuchomba also questioned Gachagua’s claims of leadership within the DCP, arguing that official records do not even list him as a registered official of the party.
“He started a party, which he claims is a ‘mlima’ party, and all of us must join. Yet from ORPP records, he’s not even an official, let alone a party leader,” she added.
Wamuchomba further accused Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa of being used to undermine leaders who have declined to associate with DCP, while still holding an elected position under UDA.
She challenged leaders linked to the party to resign and seek fresh mandates through DCP if they are confident in its popularity.
“He’s using Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa to demean those not in the party. Karungo is still a UDA senator screaming about another party. If really this party is strong, why can’t Senators Karungo, Methu Muhia, and Joe Nyutu resign first, then we elect them through their new party?” she posed.
Wamuchomba made it clear that she has no intention of defecting and will remain in UDA through to the next general election.
“I’m not joining the DCP Party, and I’m in UDA till 2027,” he concluded.
