Intrigues on Gachagua's party and fate of allied MPs

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s much-touted political party, which he has postponed announcing three times, will now be announced on May 13, awaiting the unveiling on May 29.

Gatanga MP Edward Muriu, who is set to assume the position of the Secretary to the Legal Affairs, said the name of the party will be made public as they continue preparing for a colorful unveiling of the party which he said may be conducted at a venue as big as Kasarani by thousands of his supporters.

“We shall not postpone the big announcement, we have made up our minds, it is all set in May 15 when we shall announce to the republic about our party,” Muriu told The Standard.

He however declined to name the political party, only saying the party will have a logo of a hand touching the ear signifying ‘listening to the ground’ political cliché which underscores the commitment of following the wishes of the electorate.

A close look at the political parties registrar, however, doesn’t show a political party with such a slogan.  The last two political parties to be registered by the Registrar of Political Parties are The We Alliance (TWAP) and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP). The  DCP  party is associated with James Irungu Kamau, a youth who unsuccessfully tried to contest for a  Presidential ticket in 2022.

Kamau serves as the Deputy Party leader of the party while the party leader is  Godfrey Muriithi who has no association with Gachagua.

TWA party colors are yellow and blue, the symbols are plate and spoon and the party slogan is 'power to the people.

Other founding members of the party include Rhoda Muthoni, Bruce Esadia, Samuel Ogembo, Maureen Wangari, Victor Omondi Niga, Peris Mukami Wangombe and Dennis Musyoka.

Others include: Celestine Ongare Ongeri, Edwin Mwaura Murira, Halima Shariff Abdualkadir, Teresiah Wambui Wangechi, Eunice Nthanzwe Musyoka, Patrick Runjugi, Francis Marube and Lilian Kirito Gitonga.

 The DCP party’s colors are green, brown and black, the party symbol is a plough and the party slogan is Kazi na Haki.

Members of the governing body include Thomas Ratemo, Ado Yiembo, Mably Owino, Huseein Athman, Laura Njeri, Abdifatah Abdullahi, Joy Gatugi, Jeremiah Mong’eri, Joel Sang, John Maranga, Miriam Fredina Mariki and Brenda Banjira Omusinda.

 These two parties were awarded registration certificates on February 3, 2025 bringing the total number of fully registered parties in the country to 92, including one coalition party; Azimio La Umoja Coalition party.

 The Gazette notice number 1888 that notified the public of the registration of the two parties read in part” “In exercise of the powers conferred by the political parties Act, cap. 7d (the act), the registrar of political parties gives notice that the following two political parties have been fully registered under
section 7 of the act with particulars as listed”.

There are speculations that DCP will be Gachagua’s political vehicle that he will popularize in Mt Kenya region as he seeks to use it as his bargaining chip for the 2027 general election.

In February, Gachagua hinted that the chairperson of the party he was cobbling up would come from Kajiado County, while the Interim Organizing Secretary would come from Machakos County. The Interim National Assistant Treasurer will hail from the Kuria region and the Interim Deputy Party leader will hail from Kakamega.

 Although he did not name them, Gachagua’s allies from the mentioned counties include Lenku Seki (Senator Kajiado) Victor Munyaka, Former Machakos MP who declined President William Ruto’s appointment as head of the Animal Genetic Resource Centre.

Insiders say former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala and former Kakamega Senator, a close ally of Gachagua, will assume the role of the Interim Deputy Party leader.

Despite the plans to have Gachagua’s party replace UDA as the dominant party  in Mt Kenya region, concerns have been raised on how his relationship with former President Uhuru Kenyatta will be following his February 15 statement that all other parties in the region are Ruto’s secret card to further divide Mt Kenya region.

“I urge the region to unite behind the party that I will launch since all other parties in the region have their original colors as yellow  to confuse our people,” he said at a rally in Nyandarua.

Jubilee Party’s party leader is former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has already announced that the party will be backing former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi.

In a closed-door meeting between Matiangi and Gachagua, the former second in command is said to have urged Matiangi to abandon Jubilee and focus on building his own political party so that once they meet at the bargaining table, they would do so as party leaders.

 Another Gachagua’s headache is whether the UDA elected leaders will withstand the turbulence that was witnessed by the current Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura when he was removed from the Jubilee party register due to his association with Ruto the Deputy President.

“There are reasons why political parties are registered and announced towards the general election, inasmuch as Gachagua is popular, none among us is willing to risk a tiresome and robust campaign to seek fresh mandate. Gachagua is still a UDA member but things will be different when he announces his party as some of us will be deemed to be promoting ideologies of his party which will form grounds for our removal,” one of the MPs said.

However, Gachagua and Malala are of the view that many Senators and Members of the National Assembly from his Mt Kenya region are ready to resign from the UDA party and go for by-elections in the new party.

“The whole mountain has moved from UDA. UDA was Riggy G at the mountain; without Riggy G at the mountain, there is no party there,” he confidently claimed.

“Any leader who makes that brave decision, because that is courageous, will be reelected without a doubt, with a serious majority. They will be heroes of our people and their politics will be rosy for decades to come,” he said.

On his part, Malala told The Standard, “It is the elected leaders who are waiting for the party with zeal, I can guarantee you that the majority of them are willing to resign from UDA to our party.”