Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has made a bold prediction about the 2027 General Election, stating that one opposition presidential hopeful will voluntarily exit the coalition before the polls. He made these remarks on Sunday, September 27, while addressing Kenyans in the diaspora at an event in Dallas, Texas, under the banner of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), which he leads.
Gachagua also addressed speculation about his own political positioning, insisting he would remain part of whatever coalition arrangement emerged. He emphasized that he would be part of the winning team and would not walk away. Gachagua's comments come amid speculation about the opposition's presidential candidate and the possibility of a single candidate emerging.
Gachagua addressed fears over vote rigging, drawing on the July Ol Kalou by-election as evidence that elections in Kenya cannot be stolen. He pointed to a recent court ruling affirming that results announced by constituency returning officers are final and cited the Supreme Court's 2013 precedent that polling station tallies carry legal weight.
Using the July Ol Kalou by-election as a central example, Gachagua described how residents allegedly repelled attempts to disrupt voting, including blocking vehicles suspected of carrying fake ballots and escorting ballot boxes to tallying centres themselves. He also recounted a reported deployment of thousands of security personnel to the constituency, which he framed as a failed attempt at voter suppression.
Gachagua introduced what he called the "Ol Kalou phenomenon," describing a situation where voters allegedly accepted money from the government camp but voted against the government candidate regardless. He noted that a shortage of small currency change in the area during the campaign period pointed to the volume of cash that had reportedly flooded the constituency.
The opposition leaders currently eyeing the presidency include Gachagua himself, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Jubilee leader Fred Matiang'i, Linda Mwananchi Movement leader Edwin Sifuna, and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro. A recent Mizani Africa survey placed Kalonzo as the most preferred opposition flagbearer, securing 37.2% support and giving him a 17.5 percentage-point lead over Sifuna.
Gachagua came in fourth place with 6.4% in the Mizani Africa survey, followed by Nyoro at 5.1%, and former chief justice David Maraga polled at 2.2%. Meanwhile, 15.4% of respondents remained undecided, leaving the opposition contest open to further shifts. Gachagua's prediction about one opposition presidential hopeful exiting the coalition has sparked interest in the run-up to the 2027 polls.
Key points
- Gachagua predicts one opposition presidential hopeful will exit the coalition before 2027.
- Gachagua addresses fears over vote rigging, citing recent court rulings and the Ol Kalou by-election.
- Kalonzo Musyoka leads in a recent Mizani Africa survey as the most preferred opposition flagbearer.
