United Opposition co-principals Rigathi Gachagua and Kalonzo Musyoka consult during funeral service of Herbert Kariithi Macharia in Ithanga, Murang’a county, December 9, 2025. /KALONZO MUSYOKA/XFormer Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has pledged to mobilise voters from the Mt Kenya region to support Kalonzo Musyoka, who is considered a potential joint presidential candidate for the United Opposition in the 2027 general election.
The coalition—comprising Gachagua's Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), Eugene Wamalwa's Democratic Action Party–Kenya (DAP-K), Kalonzo's Wiper Patriotic Front, Martha Karua's People’s Liberation Party (PLP), and Justin Muturi's Democratic Party (DP)—has yet to finalise a single presidential flagbearer to contest President William Ruto.
Gachagua’s remarks indicate the direction of his support as the opposition enters discussions on selecting a unified candidate.
Speaking on Tuesday during the funeral service of Herbert Kariithi Macharia in Ithanga, Murang’a County, Gachagua stated that the number of votes President Ruto could attract in the region would be limited.
“The mountain has decided that its votes will go into one basket,” Gachagua said, in remarks attended by United Opposition co-principals Wamalwa and Kalonzo, along with several Members of Parliament.
“I want to assure Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa—speaking from the mountain—the mountain’s vote will go into one basket. All the candidates Ruto will support in this region will collectively get 50,000 votes, and then seven million votes will go into one basket.”
Gachagua and President Ruto have had strained relations since Gachagua’s impeachment in October 2024.
Since then, the former deputy president has sought to consolidate support across the country under the Wantam slogan.
He also expressed concern over efforts, which he described as online attacks, intended to create divisions within the United Opposition.
“I have seen people online pretending to be in the United Opposition while trying to divide this community, but they do not know this community. They are lost; they do not understand us. The mountain has six million votes, but from the look of things, it will hit eight million. The region has not decided who it will vote for, but it has decided who it will not vote for,” Gachagua said.
The Mt Kenya region played a key role in the 2022 presidential election, where the Kenya Kwanza ticket, comprising Ruto and Gachagua, received 7.1 million votes against Azimio la Umoja’s 6.9 million.
Following their fallout after his impeachment, Gachagua has signalled that he does not expect Ruto to retain the region’s support in 2027.
Speaking at the same funeral service, Kalonzo emphasised the United Opposition’s commitment to free and fair elections.
“As the government-in-waiting, we stand united. Just as President Kibaki won with a margin that no one could steal, we will deliver a victory that cannot be tampered with. The will of the people will triumph,” he said.
