Mbeere North MP aspirant Duncan Mbui./FILE
Former DCP candidate for the Mbeere North by-election, Duncan Mbui, has accused ex-Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of betrayal.
Speaking exclusively to the Star, Mbui said he felt sidelined after Gachagua allegedly shifted his support to Democratic Party candidate Newton Karish, despite earlier urging him to remain active in the campaigns.
“Gachagua has never contacted me to inform me of the decision,” the former Democracy for the Citizens Party aspirant lamented.
“I had invested a lot of money to make DCP popular; I don’t want to disclose how much I had spent, but it’s in the millions. But they decided to frustrate my bid in the name of zoning. The so-called zoning is killing political democracy and the ambitions of aspirants.”
Mbui, who has since joined Chama Cha Kazi led by former Gatundu North MP Moses Kuria, claims Gachagua failed to inform him of coalition talks that eventually saw his candidature dropped.
Nevertheless, Mbui said he has received blessings from his electorate in Evurore—where he was elected as MCA in 2022 on an independent ticket.
“I am optimistic that I will win the seat. This is a new chapter for me,” he added.
However, after attending DCP’s National Executive Council meeting in Nairobi on Wednesday, Gachagua explained that the decision was driven by the need to strengthen unity among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general election.
“For the sake of unity, we are making deliberate choices in areas previously held by our partners. This is not a sign of weakness but a commitment to the bigger picture,” Gachagua said.
He added that the agreement with DP leader Justin Muturi was part of a broader strategy to ensure the opposition presents a single candidate in 2027 to challenge President William Ruto.
“Under the united opposition and our resolve for unity ahead of the 2027 general election, leading to the identification of one presidential candidate to face William Ruto, we have agreed that DCP will support the Democratic Party in Mbeere North constituency,” he noted.
Muturi had cautioned against efforts to collapse Mount Kenya parties into a single political vehicle, warning that such a move would undermine democracy in the region.
“No party should dictate to its people which party to support. Forcing a single-party system will only kill democracy,” Muturi had said.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has set November 27 for by-elections across the country.
