Change of tune? Gachagua insists Opposition remains united

Gachagua insists the opposition remains united and will eventually agree on a joint presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 General Election. He has also extended an invitation to KANU leader Gideon Moi while condemning what he describes as the ethnic profiling of the Kalenjin community.

A battle for influence and political supremacy within the opposition has exposed internal divisions, raising questions about the strength of the coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, speaking during a meeting with DCP supporters from Gilgil, Nakuru County, at his Wamunyoro residence, Gachagua sought to downplay the tensions, likening the disagreements to family squabbles that do not weaken a common front.

“Hii kelele kidogo kidogo tunakwaruzana hapa kwa United Opposition ni watoto wa baba moja wanapigana hapo kwa hapo tu, lakini wakitoka nje wanaungana kupigana na adui. Si inakuwanga namna hiyo?” Gachagua posed.

DCP Secretary General John Methu also weighed in on the political contest, suggesting that leaders who cannot mobilise support should leave the task to others.

“Kazi ya rais na naibu ni kazi political. If you cannot mobilize, ngoja sisi tutafute serikali, then tutakupea kazi ya technocrat.”

As political realignments gather momentum, Gachagua appeared to court KANU leader Gideon Moi into the opposition fold, warning against attempts to turn political competition into hostility towards the Kalenjin community.

He maintained that the opposition's political contest was with President William Ruto and not the Kalenjin community.

“Na sisi hatuna shida na Kalenjin nation. Hata wakitupatia kiongozi mwingine mzuri, sio kama Ruto, we have no problem, sindio? Si hata huyu kijana ya Moi ako? Huyo kijana ako na maneno? Hana maneno.”

Gachagua maintained that unity would be key in settling on a joint presidential candidate, expressing confidence in the opposition's strategy to marshal support against the President.

He claimed that President Ruto would struggle to secure re-election, arguing that Kenyans were united against his administration, although opposition leaders were yet to agree on who would lead their campaign.

“Hakuna mahali huyu mtu anaweza kupitia. Tumemtega kama panya imeshikwa na mtego. Ni sisi viongozi tunaweza kuharibu. And all Kenyans, by the way, are united against William Ruto. So ni hapa juu tunaulizana, hii watu yote hawataki Ruto wataongozwa na nani?”

The DCP leader also took aim at a section of Mount Kenya MPs allied to the President, accusing them of being used to fragment the region's political support through competing political formations.

“Hawa wabunge wa rais kutoka Mt Kenya wameambia rais wheelbarrow imenuka, imekataliwa. Tutafutie wheelbarrow ndogo ndogo. Lakini uzuri watu wote wa Kasongo tunawajua.”