KAJIADO, Kenya- DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua has assured aspirants seeking party tickets that the Democracy for the Citizens Party will conduct free, fair and credible nominations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during a church service at Full Gospel Churches of Kenya in Isinya, Kajiado County, Gachagua said the party’s candidates would be chosen by members through a transparent process rather than imposed by party leaders.
The DCP leader said aspirants must prepare to compete at the grassroots, build support and persuade party members that they are best suited to carry the party’s ticket.
His pledge comes as DCP continues to attract aspirants in Mt Kenya and other regions, raising the stakes for a nomination exercise that will test the party’s internal structures and ability to manage competing ambitions.
Members to choose candidates
Gachagua has consistently maintained that DCP will not handpick candidates for parliamentary, county and other elective positions.
He has previously said the party’s members would decide who receives the ticket, telling aspirants that no candidate would be brought in “from above” to take a position reserved for a local contest.
The party has said its National Elections Board will oversee nominations as an independent internal organ, in a process designed to give aspirants an equal opportunity to compete.
Gachagua’s latest assurance is likely to be closely watched by aspirants who have joined DCP or are considering the party as a vehicle for the 2027 elections.
DCP is expected to hold its nominations in March 2027, months before the August General Election.
Growing pressure on DCP
The nomination promise comes at a time when DCP is expanding its membership and receiving a steady stream of politicians seeking party tickets.
Former Kenyan High Commissioner to India Peter Munyîrì has declared his interest in contesting the Nyeri governorship on a DCP ticket, while former television presenter Evelyn Waithira Muithirania has joined the party to pursue the Murang’a Woman Representative seat.
Such entrants increase competition for party tickets and make the credibility of the nomination process central to DCP’s ability to retain members and avoid internal fallouts.
Political parties routinely face disputes when multiple influential candidates seek a single ticket. Poorly managed nominations can trigger defections, independent candidacies and court challenges, weakening parties ahead of the General Election.
Gachagua has therefore placed the independent National Elections Board at the heart of his assurance that DCP will run a process accepted by aspirants and party supporters.
A test ahead of 2027
The nominations will be among DCP’s biggest organisational tests as Gachagua seeks to consolidate the party’s support base and position it as a major force in the 2027 contest.
The party must now publish clear rules, communicate its timetable early and establish credible dispute-resolution mechanisms to build confidence among aspirants.
Gachagua’s remarks in Kajiado came as political parties stepped up preparations for the elections, with aspirants across the country beginning to declare their preferred party platforms.
