Rigathi Gachagua isn’t focused on winning the presidency in 2027. What he truly wants is power—and he’s following a path mastered by Raila Odinga. Raila showed that in Kenyan politics, you don’t need to become president to hold serious power. You just need loyal numbers, a strong party, and the ability to shake the system when it matters.
That’s exactly what Gachagua is building through his new party, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP). Like Raila used ODM to dominate Nyanza and influence national politics, Gachagua wants DCP to be Mt. Kenya’s political engine. He’s not trying to lead the nation—he’s trying to own the region and trade that power for influence, money, and deals.
He’s pushing everyone else in Mt. Kenya out of the way, branding them “traitors” or “sympathizers,” just so he can be the only one left holding the bargaining chip. His goal is simple: gather as many elected leaders under his party as possible, then sit back and negotiate—whether it’s with Ruto, Raila, or whoever becomes president.
Like Raila, Gachagua knows it’s easier to get billions after an election deal than by serving as a sidelined deputy president. And just like Raila, he wants to be seen as the only voice for his region, controlling how people vote and what they get in return.
Gachagua isn’t trying to win the Presidency. He’s trying to be the man every presidential candidate must talk to. The man who doesn’t need the crown to rule.
But Mt. Kenya must ask itself: do we want another Raila-style operator who plays survival games—or a leader with a real plan to win power and lead the country forward?
