DCP to field over 150 candidates in 2027 as Gachagua vows to challenge Ruto’s leadership

The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) has announced that it will sponsor over 150 candidates in the 2027 General Election, as part of a strategy to reclaim political influence and counter President William Ruto’s administration.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua announced that the party is targeting at least 130 National Assembly seats and 22 Senate seats.

“We want to cushion the country against senseless impeachment politics that William Ruto’s administration has introduced,” Gachagua said during a service at Kihoya AIPCA Church in Murang’a County.

He argued that a strong Mt Kenya political party was missing in the last election, which made it easier for President Ruto to gather what he called “traitors” to push his agenda and isolate their camp.

“If we had a strong Mt Kenya party that had sponsored elected leaders in the National Assembly and the Senate, President Ruto would not have found it easy to bring together a gathering of traitors to hound us out of office,” he said.

“When the two Houses are controlled by dedicated servants of the people, salient issues that affect the nation and her people would be easy to tackle.”

Reflecting on the 2022 elections, Gachagua said the Mt Kenya region made a mistake by supporting President Ruto blindly without properly vetting aspirants.

“The biggest mistake Mt Kenya made in the 2022 elections was to support President Ruto blindly and failing to vet aspirants to rid them of traitors,” he said.

Send Ruto home

He vowed that DCP would send Ruto home in 2027, promising to lead the effort to undo what he described as a “mess.”

“I put this mess that is President Ruto in place. I will lead in unmaking you. Our unity is our anti-Ruto solution. We have enough friends in other regions to make it happen. We built this government, and bringing it down is the easier task,” Gachagua said.

On the party’s nomination process, he stressed that only candidates with “unadulterated integrity” and patriotism to Mt Kenya interests would qualify for DCP tickets.

“There is this gospel musician from Subukia Constituency who was recently my supporter until he decamped to the ‘yes sir’ camp at Karen. I recently heard him say he has decamped because I refused to promise him a direct ticket to vie in 2027… a man who cannot even construct a simple sentence in English,” Gachagua said.

Scrutinise all candidates

He added that DCP will thoroughly scrutinise all candidates flying its flag, warning that those with poor education or a lack of commitment would not be given nomination certificates.

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• DCP to field over 150 candidates in 2027 as Gachagua vows to challenge Ruto’s leadership
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“My party will thoroughly scrutinise all the people who will fly our flag. Such musicians who are primary school dropouts will not get tickets. People must be ready to present evidence of freedom fighters’ spirit, love for the Mountain and education to match the task of leadership,” he said.

Despite the criticism, President Ruto has reaffirmed his commitment to transforming the country, pledging not to relent in pursuing his ambitious agenda to reshape Kenya’s future.

“Our economy, education, and health are undergoing transformation. Let us focus on that because that is what will determine a destiny that befits all of us,” Ruto said during a church service in Kibra, Nairobi.

He expressed confidence in Kenya’s potential, stating, “I am confident about the future of Kenya, it is a great nation. Nobody should tell you anything less.”

The president also dismissed attacks from political rivals, urging Kenyans to disregard negative voices that offer nothing but insults and ethnic division.

“Let us ignore the naysayers, those who have nothing to offer to us except insults, name-calling and ethnicity,” he said.