The meeting
forms part of Gachagua’s ongoing 45-day political conclave, a strategy aimed at
forging new political partnerships, engaging leaders from across the country
and laying the groundwork for a broad coalition ahead of 2027 polls.
Speaking
during the meeting, Gachagua said the consultations are part of a deliberate
strategy to expand his political influence beyond the Mt Kenya region into
Nairobi, the Maa region, the South Rift and the Coast.
“We have
opened our doors to all Kenyans because the challenges facing the country are
not confined to one region,” he said.
“Our
consultations are about building a united movement that will offer the country
an alternative leadership in 2027.”
He added
that the meeting was part of his bid to reach out to as many Kenyans beyond his
Mt Kenya backyard as possible.
“Mt Kenya
are my people, Nairobi are my people and even in Maa, Ruto does not have votes
there. I have snatched that from him. And now I have you, the Kipsigis. This
Rift Valley, I am going to go head-on with him [Ruto]” Gachagua told the
delegates.
The
engagement was the latest in a series of regional consultations that have seen
the former Deputy President increasingly venture beyond his traditional
political base in Mt Kenya in a bid to reposition himself as a national leader.
Gachagua
has long fought the tribalist leader tag, which was among the accusations in
his impeachment.
His latest
consultations follow a recent political tour of the Coast, where he was hosted
by former Cabinet minister Ali Mwakwere alongside Mijikenda elders and other
regional leaders.
During the
meetings, Gachagua sought to deepen ties with the Coast leadership, while
presenting himself as a champion of regions that feel politically and
economically marginalised under the current administration.
The
outreach also reflects a significant shift in Gachagua’s political strategy.
Since his
fallout with President William Ruto and subsequent launch of DCP, the former
Deputy President has sought to transform what was initially viewed as a Mt
Kenya political movement into a party with national appeal.
Recent
opinion polls suggest he has succeeded in consolidating his home base, while
gradually laying the foundation for wider national support.
The
InfoTrak opinion poll placed DCP as the most popular political party in the Mt
Kenya region with 33 per cent support, far ahead of UDA’s nine per cent and
ODM’s six per cent.
DCP also
emerged as one of Kenya’s fastest-growing political parties, ranking third with
nine per cent support behind UDA (22 per cent) and ODM (21 per cent).
It placed
ahead of Jubilee Party (6 per cent) and Wiper (4 per cent).
Gachagua
has increasingly relied on by-elections to establish DCP’s presence in regions
outside Mt Kenya.
The party
on Thursday secured its first parliamentary seat by winning the Ol
Kalou constituency by a landslide, a symbolic milestone that cements DCP’s grip
on Mt Kenya stronghold.
Beyond Mt
Kenya, DCP has also won MCA seats in Kariobangi North in Nairobi and Kisa East
in Kakamega.
Although
the party has yet to make a parliamentary breakthrough outside Central Kenya,
it has posted considerable performances.
In the
Emurua Dikirr parliamentary by-election in Narok county, DCP candidate Vincent
Rotich garnered 10,760 votes to finish second behind UDA’s David Keter, who won
with 18,266 votes.
“If we
garnered 38 per cent of the vote in Emurur Dikirr even without me stepping
there, what does that tell you? DCP is a national party and one to watch out
for,” Gachagua said in Wamunyoro.
At the
Coast, DCP also fielded Stanley Kenga in the Magarini MP by-election in Kilifi
county. While ODM candidate Harrison Kombe retained the seat with 17,909 votes,
Kenga polled 8,907 votes to finish second, providing the party with its first
significant electoral test in the region.
Party
insiders say the by-election strategy is not merely about winning seats but
about establishing grassroots structures, identifying local leaders and
introducing the party to voters ahead of the 2027 contest.
“As I said
earlier, Gachagua is a political figure no one should ignore,” Eala MP Kanini
Kega said.
“After we
are done consulting, the next phase is to expand all across Kenya. You recently
saw him with Mijikenda elders. He is a voice representing many other people.”
Gachagua’s
45-day conclave is expected to culminate in major political announcements on
DCP’s alliances and strategy heading into the election campaign period.
With just
over a year before the polls, Gachagua’s engagements point to an increasingly
ambitious political project aimed at transforming DCP into a national party
capable of competing with the established outfits.
