Tensions are rising within the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) as aspirants accuse party leader Rigathi Gachagua of turning the party into a money-minting machine. What was once marketed as a platform for young leaders and reformists is now being branded a “cash cow,” with members questioning where their contributions are going.
According to sources within the party, aspirants are required to pay registration fees ranging from Kshs. 2,500 to Kshs. 50,000, depending on the position they seek. However, that’s just the beginning. Members claim that every month they are summoned to aspirant forums where they are asked to contribute additional amounts — yet no tangible value is being provided in return.
“They told us we’d get branded merchandise and campaign materials, but nothing has been given,” lamented one frustrated aspirant. “All we see is the same faces asking for more money while the party leader moves around the country at our expense.”
Others now believe the contributions are being used to fund Gachagua’s personal movements, fueling anger among aspirants who feel exploited. “We joined thinking this was a people’s party,” another aspirant said. “But it’s becoming clear we’re just financing Gachagua’s travel, accommodation, and rallies.”
Several aspirants have already pulled out, saying they cannot continue attending forums that drain their pockets without accountability. “Some of us have been invited to five forums in two months — each time with new payment demands,” another source revealed.
The mass exodus now threatens to weaken DCP’s credibility and structure ahead of 2027, with growing discontent over Gachagua’s leadership style and financial transparency.
As one aspirant bluntly put it: “We didn’t join to fundraise for Gachagua. We joined to serve Kenyans.”
