By Eugenia Kindaruma
In a nation where politics has long resembled a poorly scripted telenovela, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s new “Democracy for Citizens Party” (DCP) is less a revolution and more a rerun.
Fresh from his impeachment and allegations of ethnic incitement, Gachagua has assembled a troupe of political has-beens, opportunists, lily-livered ideologues and a retinue of contortionists for what promises to be Kenya’s most laughable political circus since independence.
Gachagua’s political resurrection, now dubbed the “Lazarus Act” by Nairobi’s street wits, is a case study of witless audacity. Months after being impeached for “undermining national unity” Riggy-G now rebrands as a champion of democracy.
His new party’s colours (green, brown, and black) are as uninspired as its manifesto. Actually, the DCP manifesto appears to be a cut-and-paste effort by some amateur inspired by every failed coalition since 2002.
What about Riggy-G’s allies? What he has is a gallery of recycled and worn out material. Let’s examine two of them for now.
Kalonzo Musyoka, the Wiper leader is a perennial presidential bridesmaid whose signature move is switching allegiances faster than a TikTok trend. After years in Raila Odinga’s shadow, he now seeks relevance in Gachagua’s orbit. How can Kalonzo, a perennial political player, be subordinate to a political novice? How?
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua gestures during a political rally in Makueni
Eugene Wamalwa, whose political convictions shift with the wind, ditched Raila’s Azimio coalition, to join Gachagua.
He is now a “democracy warrior” despite backing the very regime he now condemns vehemently. Clearly, this isn’t a dream team. It can only be a scheme team.
Gachagua’s playbook is a parody of Kenyan politics. His grassroots mobilisation farce seeks favour mainly by attending church harambees or funerals where he belts venom to mop up political clout by urging the youth to get IDs while offering zero economic solutions. Gachagua’s anti-corruption masquerade is simply laughable particularly because his reformer credentials are nothing but far-fetched.
Beyond Riggy-G’s political carousel, a new generation has seen his vacuous charade. The Gen Z protesters, who stormed parliament last year, reject these recycled actors. They’ve witnessed Gachagua’s endless empty sloganeering, Kalonzo’s decades of empty promises and Matiang’i’s posturing.
Gachagua’s DCP is a political vessel built on quicksand and ethnic arithmetic and familiar tired tactics that birthed the handshake culture.
Clearly, Gachagua’s attempt to assemble an opposition coalition is less a strategic masterstroke and more a desperate salvage operation aboard a sinking ship staffed by a crew of political castaways, ideological traitors, and ambition-drunk novices. Fresh from impeachment for stoking ethnic divisions Riggy-G now poses as Kenya’s democratic saviour while recruiting allies whose only consistency is failure of their political past.
This grotesque showing reeks of recycled opportunism. Gachagua’s own impeachment exposed his toxic tribal rhetoric—usiguze mlima—yet he now demands unity from figures like Martha Karua and Peter Munya who fled Azimio over Raila’s dalliance with Ruto only to join another coalition built on identical hypocrisy.
Jeremiah Kioni, an opposition insider, openly mocks Gachagua’s delusion of national appeal, noting his support is primarily confined to a limited circle like a caged bird. And let’s not forget the DCP’s leadership where the likes of scandal-tainted Mithika Linturi, he of the fake fertilizer infamy is a key player.
Riggy-G’s greatest achievement if at all, is erecting a stage where failed stars get endless encores so long as they parade themselves to members of the public as change agents that they clearly are not and have never been in strict terms.
Kindaruma is a Meru-based leadership trainer and educationist
