Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua makes his address during the unveiling ceremony of Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) in Lavington, Nairobi on May 15, 2025.
The launch of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s new party – Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) – was on Thursday marred by acts of thuggery after goons stormed the event, adding to the recent spate of political violence ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The goons, whose identities remain unknown, descended on those who attended the brief event held at the new party’s offices in Nairobi’s Lavington, rounding up some of the attendees and beating them up.
The chaotic scene forced Mr Gachagua’s security to fire several rounds in the air to disperse the goons, who staged a siege at the gate.
Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, said the police were not asked to provide security during the party launch. He claimed preliminary investigations suggested that some of those who caused violence were supporters of the former DP who were fighting over cash handouts.
“As the national security team we believe that the stability of the country is based on having a working democracy that allows everybody to exercise their political rights free from interference… our national police service are carrying out investigations to see what exactly happened… there is no indication that the national police service were informed about this meeting to provide proper security,” Murkomen said.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki immediately condemned the incident, saying that the country must exercise democratic tolerance while embracing issue-based political discourse.
“Insults, violence and divisive rhetoric as a means of processing political differences of opinion have no place in our society. We owe to the current and future generations a nation built on peace, peaceful coexistence and respect for one another even when we disagree on issues of policy,” said Prof Kindiki.
Mr Gachagua has formed the new party following his falling-out with President William Ruto. The political fallout is not unique since Dr Ruto also fell out with his then boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta. He would proceed to launch his UDA party, while still serving as Deputy President.
The Thursday incident is not an isolated case, but adds to a growing trend of rival political camps resorting to political thuggery in dealing with opponents.
On April 6, 2025, goons confronted a congregation at PCEA Church in Mwiki, Nairobi, where Mr Gachagua and other leaders were in attendance.
Following the church incident, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations announced probe into cases of political violence. Nothing tangible has however come out of the said probe.
Similarly, last November, Mr Gachagua was forced to flee from an irate mob that stormed a funeral ceremony that he attended in Kiambu. His personal vehicle was stoned.
The rise of political violence has also spread at the local level, involving governors and their opponents as well as Members of Parliament. Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were was recently gunned down in a gangland murder that investigative agencies have linked to local politics.
In launching DCP, Mr Gachagua essentially declared a 2027 political showdown with his former boss, President Ruto.
The formation of the new party marked the clearest resolve yet by Mr Gachagua to wrest the populous Mt Kenya vote basket from Dr Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) stranglehold.
It also signaled his preparations to rally other opposition leaders in challenging President Ruto’s re-election. This even as Mr Gachagua announced that the party will hold a political jamboree on June 4, to formally launch it.
During the event, Mr Gachagua also unveiled interim party officials, some of whom are allies-turned-foe of Dr Ruto.
They include former UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala, who has been named the new party’s Deputy Party Leader and former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, who will serve as DCP’s National Organizing Secretary.
Security agents rough up a young man during the unveiling ceremony of Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) in Lavington, Nairobi on May 15, 2025.
Also appointed to various positions are politicians, especially from Mt Kenya, who lost in the last general elections. Some of the interim officials include Hezron Obaga (Secretary General), Martin Ole Kamwalo (deputy secretary general), former Limuru MP Peter Mwathi (deputy national chairperson - strategy) and Mably Owino (deputy national chairperson – operations).
Other top party officials are former Laikipia Woman Rep Cate Waruguru (National Women’s leader), Serah Wanjiku Thiga (National Youth Leader), John Maranga (People living with Disability Leader), former nominated MP Maina Kamanda (Chairperson, Eminent Persons Caucus) and David Njenga Gikonyo (Diaspora Caucus Leader).
Mr Gachagua has been running ‘one-term president’ clarion call in reference to the opposition’s plan to deny President Ruto a second and final term in the highest office on the land.
Dr Ruto and Mr Gachagua were swept to power in the 2022 presidential election largely by their two political bastions of Mt Kenya and Rift Valley. The new party is therefore a major threat to Dr Ruto going by the perceived growing hostility against his Kenya Kwanza administration.
“Our message is clear; the people of Kenya have unfinished business with you (President Ruto); we have a date with you in August 2027; we have not forgotten what you did to our economy, we have not forgotten what you did to our young men and women in June 2024,” said Mr Gachagua in a remark targeting President Ruto.
“We have not forgotten the countless lies and promises you make to us every day. We have not forgotten. We shall remind you in August 2027,” he added.
Significantly, the party has a listening ear as its symbol, and ‘Skiza Wakenya” as its slogan, a message that is perceived to be directly targeting President Ruto for allegedly not listening to the ground after selling the ‘hustler versus the dynasty’ narrative to groups generally typified as boda boda, the unemployed youths and mama mboga (grocers) to ascend to presidency to sweep himself to power.
Mr Gachagua said despite Dr Ruto riding on the strength of lofty promises of creating jobs to millions of unemployed youths, prioritising the needs of low-income earners among others, Kenyans are currently struggling under ‘heavy and punitive taxation.”
A security officer fires in the air to keep off rowdy youths during the unveiling ceremony of Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) in Lavington, Nairobi on May 15, 2025.
He also accused Dr Ruto of sinking the country through ‘poor public service delivery, skyrocketing cost of living, poor healthcare, bad policies and poor governance, insecurity and pathological lies.”
“Like-minded Kenyans have spoken to us and told us that they are tired of corruption; they are tired of abductions, state capture, organized state crime and violence. Kenyans have told us that they need a peaceful nation where the rule of law is respected, where the education system works, where healthcare is not a privilege, but a right,” said Mr Gachagua.
“It is time for liberation of our beloved country. It is time for our nation to take off socially, economically and politically. History will be kind to us for taking a bold move to listen to each other,” he went on.
Speaking to the media just after the launch, Mr Malala said that Kenyans are tired of President Ruto’s lies, assuring them that the new party will be informed by the decisions of Kenyans.
“We have had a dictatorship government that does not show a good reputation to the next generation. We have said that as a party, we don’t want to lead from the front but to be a party that listens to Kenyans,” Mr Malala said.
He stated that the low-key launch of the party was a calculated move to inform Kenyans that they now have an alternative party, ahead of the mega launch in June.
“Kenyans have a new party. We have a lot of faith in the vision of this party. This is not an individual party, it belongs to Kenyans and our slogan resonates with the people,” Mr Malala said.
A security officer fires in the air to keep off rowdy youths during the unveiling ceremony of Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) in Lavington, Nairobi on May 15, 2025.
Accordingly, Mr Malala mentioned that the voice of the people would be respected by the new party, and that they will focus on restoring dignity to the civil servants by doing away with some of the new taxes that were introduced by the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“If Kenyans’ are saying one term to President Ruto, then we will listen to them and the majority are saying so. If that is the voice of Kenyans, ours is just to listen and implement it.”
Although Mr Gachagua had indicated that several leaders were ready to resign and seek fresh mandate on the new party, some of the elected leaders who attended the event, deliberately shunned donning the new party colours.
This was seen as an attempt to avoid facing disciplinary action from the parties which sponsored them to Parliament in the last election. A member can be expelled from a party if deemed to be promoting ideologies of a rival political party.
Attending the event can still, however, be used as a basis to discipline a member. For instance, UDA has since summoned nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba for attend a political rally organized by former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, who has declared interest to challenge Dr Ruto’s re-election.
Among UDA elected leaders present included Nyandarua Senator John Methu, his Kiambu counterpart Karungo Thangwa as well as MPs James Gakuya (Embakasi North), Embakasi Central’s Benjamin Gathiru (Mejja Donk) among others.
Mr Gachagua had in February indicated that about 139 Members of County Assembly had already indicated their willingness to resign from UDA and seek a fresh mandate. He said the region had since become hostile towards President Ruto’s UDA.
“We are going to force a little general election after IEBC is constituted because our people do not want to live a lie. Mt Kenya residents are honest people, they are people of integrity, and they don’t know how to pretend,” said Mr Gachagua.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua (in red suit) with other officials during the unveiling ceremony of Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) in Lavington, Nairobi on May 15, 2025.
“I am encouraging my MCAs, MPs, and Senators the ones who make that very brave decision because that is very courageous to leave a seat you have been elected and go back to the people, I want to assure them the way I am listening to our people, any leader who makes that decision will be re-elected with a very serious majority and they will be heroes of our people and their politics will prosper for decades to come,” he said then.
Analysts note that the outcome of the pending by-elections would be a pointer to the country’s changing political landscape going into 2027 General Elections. The by-elections in Magarani, Banisa, Malava, Ugunja and Kasipul constituencies as well as Baringo Senate would be a major litmus test for their political test for the big political players. A host of wards spread across the country will also be having by-elections once the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is reconstituted.
The mini-polls would also be a sort of a referendum on Kenya Kwanza administration that has been struggling for support following the nationwide June, 2024 protests by the Gen Zs. It would be the first time the country is having by-elections since Kenya Kwanza rode to power.
“The new party adds the organizational infrastructure to Gachagua's politics that reinforces his leadership infrastructure as spokesperson for the Mountain. He can cherry candidates strategically for office, have sitting members defect to his party, fund candidates on the party ticket while realigning national politics to fit his hold of the Mountain,” says Prof David Monda, a US-based university lecturer and political analyst.
It also ensures he has a platform to run on for the presidency or being a major stakeholder in determining who will be in statehouse in 2027. To bolster his party, he has added Cleophas Malala as Deputy Party leader with an eye to making inroads on the Western front in the House of Mulembe” notes Prof Monda.
