Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed immediate plans for the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) to enter coalition negotiations, emphasizing the party's current focus on consolidating its grassroots support ahead of the 2027 general election.

During a meeting with DCP grassroots leaders at his Wamunyoro residence on August 5, 2026, Gachagua highlighted that building a strong political foundation is essential before any coalition talks or presidential candidate discussions can take place.

Key points from Gachagua's remarks include:

  • DCP aims to strengthen and expand its grassroots structures nationwide.
  • Engaging in coalition negotiations without a solid support base would be ineffective.
  • Coalition talks will commence only after all involved parties have consolidated their political strength.

Gachagua stated, “Sisi hii mambo ya coalition hatujaifikiria sasa. Kitu muhimu kwetu ni kujenga chama kwanza. Ukienda kwa meza ya mazungumzo bila support base imara, utajadili nini? Tutaenda kwa meza ya coalition wakati sisi na wengine wote tutakuwa tumekonsolidate support base zetu.”

His comments come amid divisions within the United Opposition over the timing of unveiling a presidential flag bearer. While Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka advocates for an early announcement, Gachagua and DCP prefer revealing their candidate closer to the election date to avoid state intimidation, a stance supported by DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa.

Meanwhile, Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi favors an early selection, arguing it is critical to identify a challenger to President William Ruto promptly. He also noted that unlike the 2002 NARC coalition, the current opposition lacks a clear frontrunner.

In related developments, Jubilee presidential hopeful Fred Matiang’i has proposed selecting the coalition’s flag bearer through a scientific internal poll, assigning runner-ups to key leadership positions. This proposal has backing from Martha Karua and Eugene Wamalwa but faces opposition from Kalonzo Musyoka, who prefers consensus-based selection.