Gachagua: I have no plans to kill off Mt Kenya parties

Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has denied plans to undermine or eliminate other political parties in the Mt Kenya region.

Speaking at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri during a meeting with a delegation from Mathioya and Kangema, Gachagua said he had no problem with the region having multiple political parties.

Gachagua said DCP was prepared to compete alongside other parties and would not seek to prevent rival political formations from growing their support bases.

“I want to clarify that DCP welcomes all parties to compete fairly,” Gachagua said.

He said the only position where he did not want competition among Mt Kenya politicians was the presidency, claiming there was already agreement within the region that President William Ruto should be voted out in the 2027 election.

“The only seat I do not want competition among ourselves is that of presidency because we all are in agreement that we must send President William Ruto home,” he stated.

Gachagua was responding to concerns raised by Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi, former Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya of the Party of National Unity (PNU) and Democratic Empowerment Party (DEP) leader Lenny Kivuti, who had accused him of seeking to eliminate other political parties in the region.

The former Deputy President urged the three leaders to work with DCP while at the same time challenging them to popularise their respective parties rather than accuse him of attempting to undermine them.

Gachagua said he was concentrating on building DCP's support across the country and expected leaders heading other parties to undertake similar efforts to strengthen their formations.

His remarks came a day after Muturi, Munya and Kivuti addressed a press conference rejecting what they described as Gachagua's call for them to dissolve their parties and fold them into DCP.

The three leaders said Gachagua had neither the legal nor moral authority to determine the future of political parties that they lead.

They described the alleged proposal as offensive to party members, delegates and officials who had invested significant efforts in establishing and strengthening their respective political formations.

The dispute followed remarks attributed to Gachagua during a church event in Meru on July 26, when he reportedly urged the Democratic Party, PNU, Umoja na Maendeleo Party and DEP to dissolve and join DCP.

Muturi, Munya and Kivuti maintained that political parties are independent entities governed by their constitutions and the law.

They argued that any decision to merge, dissolve or reconstitute a political party can only be made by its lawful organs and in accordance with the Political Parties Act.

The leaders also invoked Article 38 of the Constitution, which guarantees every Kenyan the right to make political choices, including the right to form, join or participate in the activities of a political party of their choice.