Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during Wiper NDC at Uhuru Park on October 10, 2025 [GACHAGUA/FB]Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared that he would throw his full weight behind Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka should the opposition rally around him as their joint presidential candidate in the 2027 general election.
Speaking on Friday during the Wiper National Delegates Conference (NDC) at Uhuru Park, Nairobi, Gachagua said he was prepared to not only endorse Kalonzo but also mobilise more vigorously than he did for President William Ruto during the last election cycle.
“I want to say this,” Gachagua told the cheering delegates.
“If the formula we use will help Kalonzo Musyoka to be the only presidential candidate from the opposition, I and my millions of followers will support and campaign for him. What I did for Ruto was only a teaser; the campaign I will undertake will be ten times bigger.”
The former DP urged Kalonzo to intensify his grassroots efforts ahead of the polls, urging him to engage with other opposition leaders to maximise his chances of emerging as the flagbearer.
“Continue looking for votes, continue building bridges with our colleagues. That is the only way we can secure victory,” he added.
He further dismissed the possibility of anyone outside President Ruto and a united opposition alliance candidate standing a real chance at the presidency in the next elections.
Gachagua’s remarks carry symbolic weight given his past political journey.
During the second term of the Jubilee administration, he was a close ally of then–Deputy President William Ruto, frequently appearing at his rallies and openly declaring loyalty to his presidential bid.
His support was seen as critical in mobilising Mount Kenya voters for Ruto during the 2022 elections.
However, the relationship between the two soured dramatically after Gachagua’s impeachment in 2024, leading to a sharp political falling-out.
Since then, the ex-DP has increasingly aligned himself with opposition figures, signaling a major political realignment ahead of 2027.
Gachagua’s bold declaration was reinforced by former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, who also pledged his readiness to support Kalonzo should the opposition endorse him as flagbearer.
Speaking during the same event, Matiang’i emphasised the need for the opposition coalition to put aside personal ambitions in favor of a unified front capable of challenging Ruto.
“We have agreed we must put ambition and everything else before the interest of this country,” Matiang’i told delegates.
“When we sit together and the united opposition decides that you (Kalonzo) will be the candidate, I will support you, and we will support you.”
The remarks from the two former senior officials underscored the growing momentum within the opposition to coalesce around a single candidate, despite lingering cracks among different parties and factions.
Talks of uniting the opposition under one banner have gathered pace in recent months, with Kalonzo emerging as one of the frontrunners.
The Wiper leader has been actively engaging with counterparts, including DAP-K’s Eugene Wamalwa, PLP's Martha Karua, and other key figures, in a bid to consolidate support.
