Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has unveiled what he described as the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP)'s blueprint for protecting votes in the 2027 General Election, calling on supporters to begin preparations now rather than waiting until election day.
Speaking at a DCP meeting in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, after the party's recent parliamentary by-election victory, Gachagua said the lessons learnt from the contest would shape the party's strategy for the 2027 polls.
He urged party leaders to make vote protection a central theme of every political meeting and campaign, saying volunteers should be recruited well in advance to monitor polling stations across the country.
According to Gachagua, the party plans to deploy different numbers of volunteers based on the size of polling centres.
"Start preparing early for vote protection. We do not want to do this at the last minute. Begin now. For every large polling station, prepare 500 young people to guard our votes. For medium-sized polling stations, prepare 300, and for smaller polling stations, 200," he said.
The former Deputy President also proposed a phased voting arrangement, saying young voters aged between 18 and 35 should cast their ballots first before women, older persons and other voters follow.
"Young people aged between 18 and 35 will vote first. Once they are done, all women will vote. After them, the elderly will vote, then those aged between 35 and 65. After that, the women and everyone aged 60 years and above should go home," he said.
He added that women with children, expectant mothers who were four months pregnant and above, and people aged 60 years and above would be allowed to leave after voting, while the rest of the party's supporters would remain at polling stations until the counting process was completed.
"Voting alone is not enough. On that day, those aged 59 years and below should remain at the polling station. Women with children, expectant mothers who are four months pregnant and below too, will stay behind to guard our votes as part of the party's vote protection strategy," Gachagua said.
He said the proposal was informed by the recent Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, where he claimed many supporters voluntarily remained at polling stations after casting their ballots.
Gachagua also urged supporters to dedicate election day entirely to voting and safeguarding ballots, saying other activities should take a back seat until results are announced.
"That day will be a day for voting and nothing else. We will only have two meals, breakfast at around 10 a.m. and dinner after the results are announced. There will be no lunch because we will be guarding our votes," he said.
He said the strategy would be rolled out through voter sensitisation meetings across the country as DCP intensifies preparations for the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua was addressing party supporters during his Nyandarua County tour as DCP continues its mobilisation campaign following its victory in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, where the party secured its first parliamentary seat since its formation.
