DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua addresses the media at the party’s offices in Nairobi on August 11, 2026.

📋 Breaking It Down

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s political calculations for 2027 are increasingly being complicated by a question that could determine the extent of his influence in Mt Kenya — whether he will have a place on the ballot himself or be forced to negotiate from outside the race.

The dilemma is tied to his continuing legal battle over the impeachment that removed him from office in October 2024. In June, the High Court declined to quash the Senate’s impeachment resolution, although it found that his fair-trial rights had been infringed and issued other declaratory orders. He vowed to pursue an appeal.

For Mr Gachagua, political pundits say, the stakes go beyond the question of whether he can personally contest. He has increasingly positioned himself as a leading voice of the Mt Kenya opposition to President William Ruto , making his ability to shape the region’s eventual presidential choice an important part of his political strategy.

📌 What You Need to Know

But should the courts fail to clear his path to the ballot, analysts opine, he could face an awkward choice. “Backing an opposition ticket without a prominent Mt Kenya figure could make it harder for him to mobilise the region behind the alliance while potentially reducing his bargaining power within a coalition led by politicians from other regions,” says Mr Steve Ngari.

Backing another Mt Kenya politician for the top position, he adds, could present a different problem by potentially elevating a rival and leaving Mr Gachagua operating from the political periphery of the very coalition he helped build.

The calculations are further complicated by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who is likely to remain on the 2027 ticket as president Ruto’s running mate.

Supporters of the Kenya Kwanza administration have also framed the retention of Prof Kindiki as evidence that Mt Kenya would continue to have a senior representative on the national ticket.

Prof Kindiki has warned that Mt Kenya risks being relegated to “number 20” in the opposition hierarchy, arguing that supporting President Ruto offers the region a clearer route back to the presidency.

“After William Ruto , ni sisi . Ile team nyingine tuko number 20; tutafikiwa after 200 years. We must have an honest conversation,” the DP said.

📰 Source: Nation Africa