Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua/HANDOUTFormer Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has challenged opposition parties in Mt Kenya to work as hard as his Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) in mobilising support ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri during a meeting with a delegation from Mathioya and Kangema, Gachagua said he wanted all political parties in the region to become stronger but claimed some of them had not undertaken sufficient grassroots mobilisation.
Gachagua said parties should not expect DCP to stop its activities simply because other opposition formations were not equally active.
“Our sister PLP leader Martha Karua, the iron lady, is working hard and we respect her and her party. And we encourage all other parties to popularise themselves,” he said.
The DCP leader was responding to concerns raised by Democratic Party leader and former Attorney General Justin Muturi, former Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya of the Party of National Unity (PNU) and Democratic Empowerment Party (DEP) leader Lenny Kivuti.
The three leaders said Gachagua's remarks had undermined other political parties in Mt Kenya after comments attributed to him in which he was reported to have called on some parties to dissolve and join DCP.
Gachagua dismissed those claims, saying he had never asked other parties to stop building their political bases.
“It does not mean that we stop selling our party and wait for them. Everybody must sell their respective parties. I cannot sell another person’s party,” he said.
He challenged leaders who believe their parties are popular to demonstrate that popularity by going to the grassroots and mobilising voters.
“If they are saying DCP is the main party in Mt Kenya, I have not stopped them from equally saying their parties are popular,” Gachagua said.
“Everybody should sell their parties. Do not be people who complain at press conferences. Build your parties; do not embarrass your members. Do not field candidates where you have not prepared.”
The former Deputy President maintained that he had not demanded that other parties fold, saying his appeal for leaders to join DCP was part of his ongoing mobilisation efforts.
“I have not said people should fold their parties. I am just asking people to join DCP and I am doing it daily. Tomorrow I will be another group whom I will be telling to join DCP,” he said.
Gachagua sought to demonstrate the scale of his political activities by listing a series of meetings he said he had held and planned to attend across the region.
“Saturday I had three meetings in Nanyuki, Chaka and Nanyuki, on Sunday I had seven meetings in Nyandarua,” he said.
He added that he was scheduled to travel to Kiambu, Kajiado and Kiambaa for further engagements.
“Friday I will be in Kiambu town, Saturday I will be in Kajiado, Sunday I will be in Kiambaa. Don’t you think I am hardworking?” he posed.
Gachagua attributed DCP's growing visibility to what he described as sustained grassroots mobilisation by himself and his supporters.
He urged other opposition leaders to similarly traverse the region and hold meetings rather than rely on statements issued at press conferences.
“You sell your parties by moving around,” he said.
