Former Deputy President Rigathi
Gachagua has summoned a high-level meeting to chart the way forward
for the launch of his newly-founded
DCP party.
The meeting follows the abrupt
cancellation of Gachagua’s booking
at Kasarani.
The launch, which was scheduled
for next Tuesday, has been postponed
after Sports Kenya revoked DCP’s
reservation of the Kasarani Indoor
Arena.
Party sources told the Star that
Gachagua has called the meeting,
to be attended by top DCP officials
early next week to settle on a new
venue and iron out logistics for the
rescheduled event.
Among the alternatives under consideration are private venues and
county-owned stadiums in the Mt
Kenya region, with Kirigiti and Thika
stadiums reportedly on the shortlist.
The former DP’s allies have blamed
their woes squarely on President William Ruto’s administration.
The cancellation has sparked a political uproar, with Gachagua’s allies
accusing the government of deliberate
sabotage.
“We are in the process of identifying
a suitable venue in a private facility,
as it is clear the government will not
allow DCP to use its facilities,” DCP secretary general Hezron Obaga said.
The event was expected to be Gachagua’s political re-entry, with the
party projecting it as a “mega” launch
drawing at least 5,000 attendees,
including supporters, party officials,
elders, youth representatives, and
members of the press.
The programme featured carefully
curated performances and symbolic
presentations meant to portray Gachagua not only as a Mt Kenya political heavyweight but also as a viable
contender for the 2027 presidency.
A letter to Sports Kenya from DCP
outlined the scope of the event and
its expected impact, underscoring the
significance of the cancelled booking.
A senator aligned with Gachagua
accused the state of engineering the
cancellation to disrupt the party’s
momentum.
“The government will never give us
police protection. And even if they do,
it will be to shield the goons they send
to disrupt us. Ruto is keen to crack
down on the party,” the senator said.
Gatanga MP Edward Muriu confirmed that Gachagua has called for a
meeting of the party officials to agree
on the alternative venue.
As political temperatures rise,
Gachagua’s allies have framed the
Kasarani setback as part of a wider
crackdown by the Kenya Kwanza
regime on dissenting voices within
its former ranks.
Muriu did not mince words, accusing President Ruto of resorting to dictatorial tactics.
“We didn’t expect to get approval to use Kasarani.
That’s Ruto for you—predictable. But
in politics, negative attention can still
work in your favour,” he said.
“He may be trying to suppress us,
but it’s earning us public sympathy—
and sympathy is a powerful currency
in politics.”
Muriu claimed the government’s
actions have unintentionally revealed
a pattern of intolerance.
“These actions show just how undemocratic this administration is. I
was one of the UDA founders, and not
once did President Uhuru Kenyatta
block our meetings,” he said.
“In fact, we used public spaces—including the official residence of the
Deputy President. Uhuru could have
kicked Ruto out, but he never did.”
