All is not well at Wamunyoro, the rural residence and political nerve centre of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his newly launched Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), The Weekly Vision can authoritatively report.
Nestled at the foot of Mt Kenya, the palatial residence is viewed by many of Gachagua’s supporters as a sacred political shrine, a symbol of resistance against President William Ruto’s leadership. Some even see it as the de facto headquarters for his anticipated 2027 presidential bid.
It is from Wamunyoro that Mr Gachagua has continued his relentless attacks on his former boss and the Kenya Kwanza administration. The residence has become a revolving door for delegations of purported supporters and aspirants to various elective positions ahead of the 2027 general election.
It was also here that strategies were conceptualised, debated, and adopted, culminating in the quiet formation of the DCP. The party was unveiled at a low-key event at its Lavington offices, though a grander launch is scheduled for 3rd June at the 5,000 seater Kasarani Indoor Arena.
However, The Weekly Vision has reliably established that murmurs of discontent are growing even among Mr Gachagua’s most loyal allies. Some of these individuals stood with him long before his impeachment, yet they are now questioning his leadership style and unilateral decisions.
Elected DCP politicians, in particular, are accusing Mr Gachagua of handpicking aspirants to contest against them in 2027, an accusation that was also levelled against him during his tenure as Deputy President by UDA MPs from Mt Kenya, and one he has consistently denied.
Former Nyeri Town MP and ex-political adviser to Mr Gachagua, Ngunjiri Wambugu, has publicly cited the imposition of a rival aspirant in Nyeri Town as one of the reasons for his fallout with the DCP leader. However, Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina disputes this narrative. She claims that Mr Wambugu decamped after DCP top brass confronted him over suspicions of acting as an agent of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), an institution Gachagua accuses of spreading propaganda that led to his impeachment. Mr Wambugu has strongly denied any such links.
In Nairobi, Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, who harbours gubernatorial ambitions, has alleged that Mr Gachagua is fronting former Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera to challenge him. Mr Nyakera, who previously ran for Murang’a Governor under the Farmers’ Party, now serves as DCP’s patron for Nairobi County, much to Mr Gakuya’s displeasure.
Alongside his allies, Embakasi Central MP Major Donkk and Roysambu MP Kamande Mwafrika, stalwarts of Gachagua’s Nairobi campaign team, Mr Gakuya has vowed not to recognise Mr Nyakera’s authority. Mr Gakuya, a veteran in city politics, first rose to prominence as a councillor for Muthurwa in 2002.
The recent elevation of former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda within DCP has further agitated core loyalists. Many have openly questioned Kamanda’s political allegiance, arguing it is only a matter of time before he returns to the Jubilee Party under former President Uhuru Kenyatta. Jubilee has already announced former Interior CS Dr Fred Matiang’i as its 2027 presidential candidate.
Elsewhere, the sidelining of Cate Waruguru, a regular presence at Gachagua’s political gatherings, has raised eyebrows. She had lobbied for the position of Secretary General, only for it to be handed to little-known Hezron Obatha. The outspoken former Laikipia Woman Representative has instead been appointed Chairperson of the DCP Women’s League and instructed to focus on capturing the Laikipia gubernatorial seat. However, insiders claim Mr Gachagua favours current Deputy Governor Reuben Kimuri, a more subdued figure.
In Nakuru’s Subukia constituency, tensions between Dr Peter Mbae and popular Kikuyu gospel artist Ngaruiya Jr saw the latter decamp back to President Ruto’s UDA party. Dr Mbae previously served as a County Executive under Governor Kinuthia Mbugua and later as an MCA (2017–2022).
In Tetu, sitting MP Geoffrey Wandeto had assumed he would be DCP’s flag bearer for 2027. However, Mr Gachagua reportedly prefers former area MP and current Nyeri County Assembly Speaker James Gichuhi. Distrust remains, largely due to Mr Wandeto’s role in the impeachment motion against Mr Gachagu, he withdrew his support just before the motion was tabled.
A similar scenario is unfolding in Mukurwe-ini, where incumbent MP John Kaguchia believed he had secured the DCP ticket, only for Mr Gachagua to throw his weight behind former MP Anthony Kiai.
In Kieni, the DCP ticket is widely believed to be reserved for Mr Gachagua’s longtime ally and financier, John Kariuki Choromai, who currently serves as Head of Accounts at the Office of the Deputy President.
Prominent DCP leaders such as Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, Kiambu Senator Karungo Wa Thang’wa, Nyandarua Senator John Methu, and Kirinyaga Senator Kamau Murango have taken a noticeable step back from party affairs. Their silence is attributed to growing dissatisfaction with what they view as a lack of pragmatism and inclusivity from the party leader.
As DCP prepares for its official unveiling, internal strife and dissatisfaction threaten to fracture the young party before it fully finds its footing on Kenya’s turbulent political stage.
