Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) are implementing a strategy to dismantle President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in the Mount Kenya region. The goal is to secure all elective seats in the region and end Ruto's influence. This plan, dubbed the "Green Wave," involves attracting high-profile candidates to join the party and contest in the 2027 elections.
The DCP is targeting celebrities, media personalities, and artistes from the region to join the party and contest in the elections. The party is open to welcoming aspirants, including those making their debut in elective politics, and has assured them of transparent, fair, and credible party primaries. Former MPs, Governors, and Senators seeking to make a comeback in politics are also being wooed to join the party and tap into their established grassroots support.
Politicians from the region who are allied to Ruto are under pressure to switch sides to the DCP. Those who fail to yield to the pressure are being presented as sellouts who betrayed the community in pursuit of personal interests. A narrative that those who don’t run on the DCP ticket will certainly lose the elections has gained currency in the region.
However, the emergence of alternative political vehicles in the region presents a challenge to the DCP's strategy. The party leadership has dismissed some of these outfits as "small wheelbarrows," alleging that they were sent by Ruto to prevent the region from uniting under one political home. Gachagua has been vocal about his opposition to Ruto's strategy of bankrolling political parties disguised as genuine opposition outfits.
At a recent rally in the region, Gachagua stated that he is familiar with Ruto's scheme and accused him of trying to create fake opposition parties to maintain his influence. He emphasized that the people of Mt Kenya have united under the DCP and will not accept being divided. Gachagua's comments reflect the high-stakes politics at play in the region as the 2027 elections approach.
A high-ranking DCP official confirmed that the party is keen on sweeping seats at all levels in the region. He predicted the "end of yellow fever," referring to the influence of Ruto's UDA party in the region. The official stated that the party's goal is to capture power and that they are keen on painting the whole country green, not just the Mt Kenya region.
The DCP's strategy is to ride on the growing discontent with elected leaders allied to President Ruto in the region and turn it into a formidable electoral force. The party aims to erase UDA's footprint from the political landscape and establish itself as a dominant force in Mt Kenya. The success of this strategy will depend on the party's ability to attract and retain high-profile candidates and mobilize grassroots support.
Key points
- The DCP is targeting celebrities and high-profile individuals to join the party and contest in the 2027 elections.
- Politicians allied to Ruto are under pressure to switch sides to the DCP.
- The DCP aims to sweep seats at all levels in Mt Kenya and establish itself as a dominant force in the region.
