Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s declaration that he will run for president in 2027 may sound bold, but in truth it is a political game loaded with mischief.
He knows very well that under the law, unless his impeachment is overturned by the courts, he is permanently disqualified from holding public office. The Constitution is clear: anyone removed from office through impeachment cannot contest any elective seat. Gachagua is not ignorant of this. He is playing politics.
So why does he keep shouting that he will be on the ballot? His strategy is simple: bait Kenyans. He wants to gather sympathizers, attract financial contributions, and rally a group of die-hard followers around a candidacy that he knows will not survive legal scrutiny. By keeping up the illusion of a presidential run, he creates both a political base and a war chest.
When the inevitable happens—when the IEBC bars him from the ballot as the law dictates—he will not blame the law. He will not accept responsibility. Instead, he will claim victimhood and point fingers at President Ruto. He will argue that Ruto has manipulated IEBC to stop him because “the ground” was too strong behind him. In doing so, Gachagua will attempt to paint himself as a martyr of democracy.
This is where the danger lies. By insisting on a candidacy he knows cannot stand, Gachagua prepares the ground for outrage. He will stoke anger, portray himself as unfairly excluded, and weaponize that anger to incite unrest. His true game is not about winning the presidency but about turning his disqualification into a political weapon.
It is a dangerous gamble—using deception and victimhood to mobilize emotions, even if it pushes Kenyans towards instability.
