Gachagua Moves to Build DCP Into an ODM-Style Political Giant

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua plans to open political operation centres in Nakuru and Meru counties as he moves to build a mass party capable of surviving past the 2027 General Election.

Addressing a delegation from Gilgil Constituency at his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri County, Gachagua said the two command posts, styled as "Wamunyoro Annexes", will anchor his political campaign in regions with high voter density.

The move marks a tactical pivot for Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), which he hopes will secure majorities in both the National Assembly and the Senate.

Gachagua cited Nakuru as a critical battleground, noting its current voter registration of 1.3 million. He projected that figure could reach 1.5 million after the mass registration drive closes in January, making it the third-largest voting bloc behind Nairobi and Kiambu.

"So, I am going to spend a lot of time in Nakuru. I have planned to open Wamunyoro Annex in Nakuru. Let me come near where the votes are. Let me stay near the 1.4 million votes," Gachagua said.

He announced a similar facility for Meru County, arguing that political success requires concentrating resources where voter numbers are highest.

"I will open Wamunyoro Annex in Nakuru and in Meru. I don’t play around. Sometimes, some people look down upon me. I know politics. I am a political scientist," he told the delegation.

To anchor his long-term strategy, Gachagua said he wants to model DCP on the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), praising the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for sustaining a dominant political party across two decades.

He contrasted Odinga’s approach with the coalition structures formed ahead of the 2022 General Election, which he said suffered from the lack of a single dominant member party.

"We have now known the secret of success in a coalition; it is having one big and strong party. I admire the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga; I admire him for one great thing he did. He built a strong and big party called ODM and placed competitive members of parliament," Gachagua said.

Gachagua expressed confidence in his political standing across key regions, claiming full control of Kiambu and Meru, more than half of Nairobi, and 90 per cent of Nakuru. In Western Kenya, he indicated plans to partner with Kakamega Senator Edwin Sifuna and Democratic Action Party of Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa.

As part of the party's growth strategy, Gachagua welcomed former Inooro FM presenter Evelyn Waithira Muithirania to DCP at his Nyeri residence.

Muithirania defected from the Jubilee Party to run for the Murang’a County Woman Representative seat on a DCP ticket. She finished second in the 2022 election after securing over 100,000 votes.

Gachagua urged her to join the party's membership drive ahead of the DCP nominations set for next March, promising free and fair primaries.

The Wamunyoro residence has become a key focal point for opposition politicians and grassroots delegations since Gachagua's removal from office in October 2024.