Inside Gachagua's 45-day political retreat to Wamunyoro after impeachment ruling

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared that he remains eligible to contest the presidency in the 2027 General Election and announced a 45-day political retreat to his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri County to spearhead consultations aimed at identifying a single opposition candidate to challenge President William Ruto.

Speaking on Tuesday following a High Court ruling that upheld his impeachment, Gachagua said his immediate focus would shift from political mobilisation to building consensus within the opposition coalition, which he referred to as the United Alternative Government.

“I wish to confirm to my supporters across the country that I’m eligible to vie as a presidential candidate, and I will be on the ballot on August 10, 2027 should the formula that will be agreed upon by the United Alternative Government favour me as the single presidential candidate,” he said.

The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader revealed that he would retreat to Wamunyoro for an intensive 45-day consultation process involving supporters, political allies, opinion leaders, professionals, clergy and other stakeholders to chart the opposition's next move following the court decision.

According to Gachagua, the consultations will centre on one key objective: agreeing on a single opposition presidential flagbearer to face Ruto in the 2027 election.

He disclosed that a 60-member advisory caucus comprising elders, professionals, youth representatives and clergy had advised him that the phase of political mobilisation against the Kenya Kwanza administration was effectively complete and that the coalition should now focus on selecting a presidential candidate.

“Having a single candidate against President William Ruto is not negotiable and is the only way to liberate this country,” Gachagua said, adding that he had been tasked with engaging fellow opposition principals and stakeholders to seek consensus on the matter.

Gachagua said he would first travel to Western Kenya this weekend to support DCP  deputy party leader Cleophas Malala and DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa before commencing the consultations at his village home from next week.

He maintained that he remains a strong contender for the opposition ticket, citing what he described as his political experience, organisational infrastructure, national networks and support base.

The former DP said the consultations would revolve around two possible scenarios. Under what he termed Plan A, he would seek support from across the country should the agreed formula favour him as the opposition's presidential candidate.

Plan B, he explained, would come into effect if another opposition leader emerged as the preferred candidate, in which case he would seek the backing of his supporters to support the coalition's eventual choice.

“I remain hopeful that I will be that candidate for the election of the presidency. However, if any of my other colleagues is agreed upon, I give a very firm commitment to the people of Kenya that I, Rigathi Gachagua, and 10 million supporters behind me, shall rally behind the agreed candidate,” he said.

Despite the High Court ruling, Gachagua projected confidence that he remains politically relevant and positioned himself as a key player in efforts to unite opposition forces ahead of 2027.

He said the opposition's priority was no longer mobilisation but building a united front capable of unseating Ruto, accusing the current administration of presiding over corruption, state capture, democratic backsliding and the erosion of public institutions.

The announcement also signals a shift in strategy for Gachagua and his allies, with the former deputy president indicating that he will largely stay away from public political rallies over the next month and a half as negotiations intensify behind the scenes.

The 45-day Wamunyoro consultations are expected to culminate in discussions with fellow opposition co-principals on the framework for selecting a joint presidential candidate, a process that could significantly influence the shape of Kenya's opposition politics heading into the 2027 General Election.