NAIROBI, Kenya- Nyandarua Governor Moses Kiarie Badilisha has officially joined former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), marking a significant political shift in the Mt Kenya region just weeks after the party’s victory in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
Badilisha’s move comes less than three weeks after DCP candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau won the fiercely contested Ol Kalou by-election, handing the opposition party a major political boost in President William Ruto’s Mt Kenya backyard.
The governor had previously been elected on the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket in the 2022 General Election.
However, political speculation over his future intensified after the Ol Kalou by-election, with analysts pointing to his recent remarks and interactions with DCP leaders as signs of an impending realignment.
His defection strengthens DCP’s growing influence in the Mt Kenya region, where the party has been recruiting leaders following its launch by Gachagua earlier this year.
Badilisha now becomes one of the highest-ranking elected leaders to formally join DCP, adding momentum to the party’s expansion ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The move follows a series of political shifts within the region.
Last week, Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata also joined DCP after leaving UDA, signalling growing support for Gachagua’s party among elected leaders in Central Kenya.
Political observers are expected to closely watch whether more governors, MPs and county leaders will follow suit as parties position themselves ahead of the next general election.
