Gachagua Unveils DCP Candidate for Ol Kalou By-Election in Fiery Nairobi Press Conference
Politics Updated: 12 May 2026 17:31 EAT
DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua congratulates Sammy Kamau Ngotho for winning the DCP PARTY Nominations and securing the position to be the party parliamentary flag bearer in the forthcoming by-elections.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Tuesday led a charged political press conference at the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) headquarters in Nairobi, where he officially unveiled the party’s candidate for the upcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election and declared that DCP was preparing to form the next government.
Addressing party supporters, officials and aspirants, Gachagua said the successful conduct of the Ol Kalou nominations had convinced him that DCP was rapidly becoming a national political force. “The party that will form the next government and that will have absolute majority in both houses. And uh I’m very happy with what happened in Ol Kalou. Very happy,” he declared.
The former deputy president repeatedly praised the DCP nomination exercise, describing it as the most credible internal election process Kenya has witnessed since the return of multiparty politics in 1992. He said he had personally observed party primaries across several election cycles and understood what genuine nominations looked like.
“I saw party primaries in 1992. I saw party primaries in 1997. I saw party primaries in 2002. I saw party primaries in 2007. I saw party primaries in 2013,” Gachagua said. “I personally participated in party primaries in 2017 as a candidate for my parliamentary seat.”
Gachagua revealed that he intentionally kept senior leaders away from the nomination process to prevent interference and ensure residents freely chose their preferred candidate. “I told everybody to keep away and leave the elections to the people of Ol Kalou so that they can make a decision of who will be the next member of parliament,” he stated.
In a humorous moment that drew laughter from the audience, the DCP leader said he had instructed allied leaders to completely avoid the exercise. “I ask all leaders: John dispatching to London, keep off. My madam to go to Mombasa swim if you can. Go and do some hairdo and look good and beautiful,” he joked.
He commended the DCP National Elections Board for overseeing what he called a peaceful and transparent process. “National elections board chairperson and your board, pongezi. You did very well,” he said, before claiming that Kenyans across the country were discussing the efficiency of the DCP nominations.
“The whole country is talking about the DCP nominations... there has never been such well organized and credible nominations since the advent of multipartism in 1992,” Gachagua told supporters, triggering chants from party loyalists gathered at the Nairobi headquarters.
The former deputy president also used the event to announce that DCP had begun preparations for the 2027 General Election, saying the party was already assembling nationwide electoral infrastructure. “Start getting the ballot boxes. Start getting the boots. Start getting the indelible ink. Start putting together all the logistics,” he instructed party officials.
According to Gachagua, DCP projects that its nationwide nomination exercise in 2027 could cost nearly Sh2 billion. “The whole exercise will cost us about 2 billion Kenya shillings. From the nomination fees, we’ll be able to raise a billion shillings,” he said while appealing to supporters for financial contributions.
“Please give us your money... to buy vehicles, to pay rent, to buy coffees, to buy t-shirts,” he appealed, arguing that building a strong opposition movement required grassroots financial support rather than dependence on wealthy donors.
The DCP leader used the occasion to sharpen his attacks against President William Ruto, insisting that the opposition’s main strategy ahead of 2027 would be maximizing voter turnout. He referenced former President Mwai Kibaki and the 2007 election model to illustrate his point.
“Give you is voter turnout Mwai Kibaki in 2007 when William Ruto coined 41 versus one. Mwai Kibaki won the election by having only two voting blocks: Mount Kenya plus voter turnout,” Gachagua argued.
He added: “I am looking at a situation where I’ll be persuading the people of Kenya for us to get rid of William Ruto, we must have a 98% voter turnout to make sure this man goes home one way.”
The former deputy president also addressed criticism that he was supporting loyalists in the DCP nominations, saying the party naturally appreciated individuals who stood with him during difficult political moments. “Regarding Gachagua, he has preferred candidates who are those who stood by him during the nomination and the impeachment,” he stated.
During the unveiling ceremony, Gachagua praised the newly selected Ol Kalou candidate, describing him as a principled young leader who resisted alleged attempts to defect to the ruling party. “Approached him and offered him 50 million Kenya shillings to go to UDA. And this great young man said, ‘I don’t need money. Where have you been when I’ve been suffering since you removed me from office?’” Gachagua claimed.
He insisted the candidate could not be compromised by the Kenya Kwanza administration once elected. “This is a great young man and I have no doubt in my mind that once he’s elected member of parliament William Ruto and his people cannot compromise him. So I think we are offering as DCP to the people of Ol Kalou the best.”
Gachagua further claimed the political ground in Nyandarua was overwhelmingly in favor of DCP ahead of the by-election. “I have confidence you deliver this seat without too much sweat because the ground is DCP 98%,” he said.
The former deputy president also commended the National Police Service for providing security during the DCP nominations, saying officers had acted professionally throughout the exercise.
“In the nominations for DCP, the national police service did a commendable job. We want to say thank you to the county police command and the more than 300 police officers,” he stated.
At the same time, he warned security agencies against interfering with the upcoming by-election, referencing incidents witnessed in other regions. “We don’t want to see what we saw in Bomet where police were beating people and being used for voter suppression and working with goons. We hope it do not happen in Ol Kalou,” he warned.
Gachagua invoked the historical significance of Nyandarua County, linking the region to the Mau Mau liberation struggle and resistance politics. “Nyandarua is headquarters of the Mau Mau movement; it is where the Mau Mau movement was born. It is in the Aberdare Forest,” he said.
“Nobody can intimidate the people of Nyandarua. The people of Nyandarua are not a joke. It is a land of JM Kariuki,” he added, referencing slain populist politician J.M. Kariuki.
The former deputy president also issued a stern warning to government allies against interfering in the by-election campaigns. “So if the likes of Moses Kuria want to come with Gachagua, they must know they are coming to Nyandarua. It will not be allowed,” he said in one of the most combative moments of the press conference.
He maintained that the Ol Kalou race should remain a local affair determined exclusively by Nyandarua residents. “Now we have a candidate. It is an Ol Kalou and Nyandarua affair. We want to leave it to the people of Ol Kalou, the people of Nyandarua,” he stated.
Gachagua further accused elements within government of planning voter intimidation, particularly in neighbouring areas. “So government, don’t go to Gilgil to intimidate voters. Allow the people of Mugunda to exercise their right and if they are allowed to have their way we’ll have the first DCP member of parliament from Nyandarua County,” he declared.
In another dramatic revelation, Gachagua narrated how an elderly woman reportedly turned up during the nominations searching for his name on the ballot paper. “All we want is voter turnout and somebody must arrange for me that great woman of 108 years who came out to vote and she was looking for my name in the ballot paper,” he said.
“I must come and visit that woman because I was told she was adamant and she wanted to vote for Gachagua. She was told no he is not in this election. She was saying, ‘No, no, no, I came to vote for—where is he being elected?’” he added, sparking laughter and applause from supporters at the DCP headquarters in Nairobi.
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