Gachagua Declares Himself Best Candidate to Take on Ruto in 2027

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared himself the preferred presidential candidate of the proposed United Alternative Government ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Gachagua made the declaration after consultations with political leaders, professionals, religious figures, young people, women, elders and grassroots representatives at his Wamunyoro home. The move signals his intention to seek the presidency rather than simply support another opposition candidate against President William Ruto.

He said, however, that he would be willing to support another candidate if opposition leaders determine that person has a better chance of winning. Gachagua said his personal ambition should not prevent the opposition from presenting a single candidate.

According to Gachagua, the consultations produced three main priorities: holding the government accountable, uniting opposition parties behind one presidential candidate and persuading political leaders to support his own bid. He argued that his political experience, networks, organisational structures and ability to mobilise voters would give him a strong chance of winning the election in the first round.

Gachagua also used the consultations to outline the concerns he said Kenyans had raised about the country’s direction. These included the economy, taxation, healthcare, education, agriculture, insecurity, governance and falling household incomes.

On the economy, he said workers were losing more of their earnings through salary deductions while businesses were facing an unpredictable tax environment. He said the next government should create conditions that allow businesses to invest and expand without excessive fiscal pressure.

Agriculture was another major concern. Gachagua said farmers were facing high production costs, weak markets and problems within value chains involving tea, coffee, pyrethrum, sugarcane and cotton. He also opposed what he described as interference in the cooperative sector, saying Kenyans wanted their savings and cooperative assets protected.

On healthcare, Gachagua said the concerns raised during his consultations went beyond enrolment in the Social Health Authority system. He said Kenyans wanted functioning public hospitals, adequate supplies of medicines, sufficient healthcare workers, reliable information systems, sustainable financing and better management.

He also made security and human rights a central part of his message. Gachagua called for investigations into alleged abductions, extrajudicial killings and disappearances, saying accountability should extend to officials accused of ordering or facilitating abuses as well as those who allegedly carried them out.

He further called for a public inquest into deaths linked to the 2024 Gen Z protests and the July 7 Saba Saba demonstrations. He said families and the wider public should establish the number of people who died and that those responsible should face the law.

Gachagua said different regions had presented him with distinct concerns during his consultations. In northern Kenya, he cited drought, inadequate water supplies and poverty. In the North Rift, he pointed to banditry and cattle rustling.

In Western and Nyanza, he said leaders had raised concerns about the struggling sugar industry. At the Coast, he cited questions surrounding the Port of Mombasa, land and mineral resources, as well as renewed concerns over drug-related problems.

He said Nairobi residents were concerned about poor drainage, traffic congestion, insecurity and demolitions. In the Mount Kenya region, he said residents had called for greater political unity and pledged to work towards bringing the region together.

Gachagua also criticised the proposed sale of strategic public assets and raised concerns about changes affecting communications and data protection. He called for stronger privacy protections, greater public participation in the legislative process and better protection of public resources.

He said his political platform would extend beyond opposition to the current administration. Gachagua plans to develop a comprehensive policy document covering different sectors after returning from the United States and submit it for public scrutiny and validation.

The question of opposition unity remains central to his political strategy. Gachagua acknowledged that multiple presidential candidates, competing parties and regional interests could divide the opposition and benefit the government.

He urged opposition leaders to be prepared to put individual ambitions aside if necessary to achieve a common objective. 

At the same time, his declaration that he is the preferred candidate introduces another contest within the opposition over who should lead the coalition. Gachagua has sought to distinguish his political position from a personal response to his removal as deputy president. 

He acknowledged his role in mobilising support for the Kenya Kwanza administration in the 2022 election but said his opposition to the government was now based on what he considered a responsibility to change the country’s direction.

Speaking to Gen Zs at Wamunyoro, he rejected the idea that his objective was simply to remove Ruto from office and hand power to another opposition leader. He said he was seeking the presidency himself and was not interested in being a kingmaker.

Gachagua has also disputed claims that his impeachment and removal from office automatically prevent him from contesting the presidency. He has referred to Articles 75 and 99 of the Constitution and said his legal team would continue challenging the matter in court.

He remains confident that the appellate process could overturn earlier findings affecting his political position. The legal proceedings could therefore become an important part of his 2027 political strategy as he seeks to build both an electoral coalition and a legal basis for his candidacy.