Latest reports of tension within the United Opposition over its 2027 presidential ticket reveal a deeper, more structural problem within the coalition.
What appears on the surface as a simple disagreement over leadership is, in reality, a reflection of the dark personal ambitions that define Kenya’s opposition politics today.
At the center of this storm is DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua. Sources within the coalition describe him as unyielding and difficult to work with, domineering, and unwilling to compromise. His “my way or the highway” approach has reportedly created gridlock in ongoing negotiations on power-sharing ahead of the 2027 elections.
The DCP leader’s political predicament is unique. Having been impeached in 2024, the Constitution of Kenya (2010) bars him from contesting for any public office. This legal reality effectively disqualifies him from seeking either the presidency or the deputy presidency.
Yet, his behavior suggests a man unwilling to accept political limitation. If he cannot be on the ballot, why not support someone else from his region, perhaps PLP leader Martha Karua, a seasoned politician with national appeal and a strong reformist record?
But Gachagua’s actions raise uncomfortable questions. Is his resistance to Karua a reflection of his belief that no one else from Mt. Kenya can lead without his blessing? If he truly seeks to preserve regional influence within the United Opposition, he could easily rally behind Justin Muturi, the DP leader, who also hails from Mt. Kenya. Instead, Gachagua appears intent on blocking others from Mt Kenya, from ascending to positions of influence within the United Opposition.
This pattern of behavior paints a picture of a lone ranger, consumed by control rather than coalition-building. Over the past few months, Gachagua has delivered a consistent message to Mt. Kenya politicians. Fall in line with his camp or risk political isolation. Leaders who have declined to “bow to his authority” are quickly labeled as traitors and find their political futures threatened.
The irony is striking. When Gachagua was Deputy President, he celebrated the presence of seven Cabinet Secretaries and fifteen Principal Secretaries from Mt. Kenya as a triumph for regional representation in the Ruto administration. Today, those same officials are dismissed as mere “employees” of President Ruto, no longer symbols of empowerment, but pawns in a political game he no longer controls.
From an outsider’s point of view, the United Opposition’s internal wrangles are about the future of leaders Kenyans entrust with public office. If they cannot rise above individual egos and regional rivalries, the United Opposition will be built on convenience for power, rather than conviction to serve Kenyans.
One question now lingers, can the United Opposition forge a shared vision, or will it collapse under its internal divisions and the looming influence of Rigathi Gachagua’s relentless ambition?
