NAIROBI, Kenya -Former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando has thrown his weight behind former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, arguing that divisions among opposition leaders in previous elections handed President Daniel arap Moi an advantage.
Kabando cited the 1992 and 1997 elections as examples of what he described as the cost of opposition fragmentation.
He said the split between Kenneth Matiba and Mwai Kibaki in 1992 gave Moi an easier path to victory, while divisions among Kibaki, Charity Ngilu, Michael Kijana Wamalwa and Raila Odinga in 1997 again helped the incumbent.
Kabando said he personally supported Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Matiba in 1992 and recalled leading supporters to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to welcome Matiba.
He also rejected comments attributed to former President Moi’s press secretary Lee Njiru regarding Matiba, describing them as revisionist and urging Kenyans to preserve the legacy of the late opposition leader.
The former MP then turned his attention to the emerging 2027 contest, drawing a sharp distinction between Ndindi Nyoro and Matiba.
“Ndindi Nyoro is not a Matiba,” Kabando said, arguing that the Kiharu MP had yet to demonstrate the “pioneering, courage, stamina, genius and charisma” that he associated with Matiba.
Kabando said Nyoro should be judged on his own political record and challenged him to demonstrate that he was not simply acting on behalf of President William Ruto.
His strongest endorsement, however, was reserved for Gachagua.
Kabando said supporters in his political camp had settled on Gachagua through the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), describing the former deputy president as the most focused and resilient politician capable of defeating Ruto in 2027.
“We’ve chosen RiggyG via DCP, because he’s proven to be most focussed, energetic, resilient, smart Steward to defeat crooked Ruto,” Kabando said.
Kabando has increasingly positioned DCP as his preferred political vehicle ahead of the 2027 election. In June, he urged Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata to join the party, describing it as the way forward for Mt Kenya politics.
He has also credited Gachagua with helping bring opposition forces closer together.
Kabando argued that opposition disunity had contributed to electoral defeats in 1992 and 1997, while saying Gachagua’s efforts could produce a different outcome in 2027.
The MP further compared Gachagua’s political trajectory to that of Matiba and Kibaki, pointing to their difficult relationships with the governments they once served.
He said Gachagua’s impeachment as deputy president and subsequent opposition to Ruto had strengthened his political standing among his supporters.
The former MP also invoked his “Wantam” slogan, which he uses to campaign for a one-term presidency for Ruto. Kabando has repeatedly described the movement as an opposition push aimed at removing Ruto through the ballot in 2027.
He predicts overwhelming support for the opposition in Mt Kenya, claiming the region’s vote could be consolidated behind Gachagua and DCP.
