DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua addresses supporters at Ndunyu Chege in Gatanga, Murang’a county, May 18, 2025. /RIGATHI GACHAGUADemocracy for Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua has dispelled the narrative that the newly formed party relies on artificial support by paying people to attend its functions.
The former Deputy President unveiled the outfit at the party's headquarters on Musa Gitau Road in Lavington, Nairobi, on Thursday, May 15.
The event was attended by party supporters and various political leaders, indicating potential alliances and momentum ahead of the 2027 General Election.
But the launch at some point witnessed an espisode where a group attempted to disrupt the programme.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen claimed the group resorted to causing chaos to demand payment for attending the function.
In a statement on Monday, Gachagua dismissed the line of thinking saying the DCP relies purely on organic fan base.
"We dismiss with contempt the loose talk by the CS Interior that during the DCP party unveiling, the goons who dared to cause chaos were fighting for handouts from us," Gachagua said.
"Let it be known that our party, DCP, has organic support and we do not pay our supporters to attend our meetings the way the government is doing to people to attend their meetings," Gachagua said.
DCP's ideology is rooted in inclusive governance and active citizen engagement, as portrayed by its slogan, “Skiza Wakenya” (Listen to Kenyans).
The party's logo features a hand touching an ear, symbolising attentiveness to grassroots concerns and commitment to attentively addressing the needs and concerns of all Kenyans.
The culture of hiring supporters is deeply entrenched in Kenyan political culture.
The practice has been documented for decades and plays a significant role in how political rallies, party events, and public appearances are orchestrated.
Political operatives hire crowds to attend rallies, often providing money, transport, food, and branded merchandise.
Hired supporters may sing, dance, chant slogans, and create the illusion of grassroots enthusiasm and large followings.
Youths, especially from informal settlements or rural areas, are often mobilised en masse for these purposes, enticed by financial prospects which often range from as low as Sh100 to Sh1,000, depending on location, crowd size, and political significance.
Political players have often accused each other of hiring goons to infiltrate their rallies and cause chaos for purposes of portraying their parties as merchants of violence.
This habit is mostly rampant during heightened political campaign periods or during national conversations on topical issues such as the enactment of new tax regimes whose implementation or lack thereof can influence the voting patterns in elections.
Gachagua warned that planners of such violence will not slow down or stop DCP's popularity.
"The cause to liberate Kenya is not about Rigathi Gachagua; wasting time and resources to stop me is a zero-sum game. We are putting our supporters on high alert that they have a right to express their frustrations if injustice is meted out on us," he said, vowing that neither him nor his supporters will be intimidated.
