Gachagua-Sifuna talks bombshell

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua returned quietly from the United States but hours later generated political shockwaves by hosting Linda Mwananchi leaders led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna at his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri.

Sources who attended the one-hour-long meeting disclosed that the leaders discussed a possible alliance between the DCP and Linda Mwananchi ahead of next year’s General Election, an agreement on Nairobi leadership, and strategies to lock out President William Ruto in Western and Mt Kenya regions.

The leaders also discussed the numerical strength of Western and Mt Kenya voting blocs, with Mt Kenya estimated to have nearly 7 million votes, while Western is projected to have over 3 million votes in next year’s General Election.

And the timing of his comeback and the highly publicised meeting, attended by all top Linda Mwananchi leaders together with senior DCP officials, among them Deputy Party Leader Cleaphas Malala, was equally telling.

The group met when President William Ruto was addressing the country on Mashujaa Day, where he also used the occasion to echo his development agenda and challenged his opponents “to match” his development record.

Pictures posted from Wamunyoro showed Sifuna shaking hands with Gachagua and his wife, Dorcas, before the group held a meeting on the grass lawn in the compound.

Also there were Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, former LSK chair Faith Odhiambo, Bumula MP Jack Wamboka, Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo, nominated MP Crystal Asige, Pauline Njoroge and acting DCP Secretary-General John Methu. Senators Joe Nyutu (Murang’a) and John Kinyua (Laikipia) also attended.

Reports indicate that Gachagua jetted back to the country on Saturday, avoiding public attention, unlike in the past when he invited the media for coverage, as well as his allies and supporters, who flocked to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to welcome him.

They reportedly discussed a coalition framework between his Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) and Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi.

The leaders also stressed the need to approach the Nairobi contest on a united front to prevent scenarios in which they could split the votes.

The meeting between Gachagua and Sifuna comes barely a month after the DCP leader hinted that he was ready to deputise Sifuna if the political arithmetic favoured the Senator.

The meeting comes amid a sustained push by Malala to bring Linda Mwananchi and DCP into a political alliance ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Malala has been advocating for a possible Gachagua-Sifuna partnership, arguing that the two leaders could form a joint ticket to challenge President William Ruto.

Speaking at DCP headquarters in Lavington on September 22, 2026, Malala announced plans for a political mobilisation initiative dubbed “Triple M”, representing the Mount Kenya, Maa and Mulembe communities.

“If we bring Mount Kenya, Mulembe and the Maasai, the election is effectively over. No matter how anyone else votes, it’s a done deal,” Malala said.

He added: “I am pushing this agenda all the time, fuelling the fire completely so that when the Mountain and Mulembe nation number one and number two unite, it is finished. It is gone.”

Malala has repeatedly indicated that Gachagua supports the idea of working with Sifuna. At a Linda Mwananchi rally in Kakamega on August 8, he told supporters: “Honourable Rigathi Gachagua has sent me to say that he is ready to support Edwin Sifuna to be the President of the Republic of Kenya.”

Tuesday’s meeting brings Malala’s efforts into sharper focus, with the two political camps now meeting under one roof as realignments ahead of the 2027 elections gather momentum.

While speaking to Kenyans living in Spokane in the US earlier this month, Gachagua opened the door to an alliance with Sifuna, going as far as saying he would be willing to deputise him if political calculations favoured the Nairobi Senator.

He declared that he would be willing to become Sifuna’s running mate if political numbers showed that the Senator was the candidate most capable of defeating President William Ruto.

“And there is no problem even if Riggy G can deputise Sifuna; what is wrong with that?” Gachagua himself asked recently.

He argued that the opposition’s overriding objective should be defeating Ruto, making the candidate who commands the strongest nationwide support the logical choice for the presidential ticket.

“If we do our arithmetic and find that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna will send President William Ruto home early, so be it,” he said.

The former deputy president also indicated that the same principle could apply to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka. He said Sifuna could deputise him, Kalonzo could deputise Sifuna, or he himself could take the number-two position.

“We will come up with a line-up and you will love it. We will blend youthful energy with experience,” Gachagua said.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Gachagua advised Sifuna to use his political outfit to consolidate his support base and recruit candidates in areas where he enjoys political backing.

“I encourage you to move with speed to market your new party and identify strong aspirants in your stronghold to get rid of Ruto sycophants and surrogates who have betrayed the electorate and the people of Kenya,” he said.

He used the opportunity to dismiss Ruto’s claims that he was a tribalist, saying he had marshalled the region to back Ruto in 2022 despite him being a non-Kikuyu.

“I just wanted us to agree that we are one term. Some other people have branded us names, but we are simple people. We are not as complicated as it is said. Let nobody tell us that we are tribal. We are not. When we supported Ruto, he was a Kalenjin; he was not Kamau or Njoroge.”

Tuesday’s meeting signalled a possible political alignment within the Opposition following Malala’s remarks last month that DCP would not join Kalonzo Musyoka’s Ukombozi Alliance but would first form an alliance with Sifuna before joining the Ukombozi Alliance.

Malala said DCP would initially work with the Linda Mwananchi Movement and agree on a coalition arrangement.

He added that DCP and Sifuna’s Equitable Party would later negotiate with parties in the Ukombozi Alliance to establish a wider political coalition.

“We as DCP cannot join the Ukombozi Alliance. They should join together as TUA, while we in the DCP will join Sifuna. Then we will negotiate together for one coalition,” Malala stated.

“We will sit down after they have come together as TUA. Then they will come and sit with us for an agreement,” he added.

While announcing The Ukombozi Alliance (TUA) last month, Kalonzo said the rebranding followed talks by the wider Opposition, announcing that the vehicle would include new partners, including the Linda Mwananchi Movement and DCP.

However, the remarks place DCP and Linda Mwananchi outside the current Ukombozi Alliance structure, with the parties seeking to negotiate later for a wider united Opposition.

Sources indicate that after Tuesday’s meeting, Linda Mwananchi and DCP would hold joint political rallies in both the Mt Kenya and Western regions in the coming weeks.

Additional reporting by Prestone Murunga.