NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is set to launch his long-anticipated political vehicle, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), on July 7, 2025, aligning the unveiling with the historic Saba Saba Day — a symbolic nod to Kenya’s fight for multi-party democracy.
But the rollout hasn’t been without turbulence.
Speaking at his Wamunyoro residence on June 23, Gachagua revealed that the DCP launch, initially planned for Nairobi’s Kasarani Indoor Arena, had been moved to the Maa region.
He accused state operatives of orchestrating the venue cancellation in an attempt to frustrate the event.
“We paid over Sh3.7 million to Sports Kenya to secure Kasarani,” Gachagua told an audience of grassroots mobilisers from the Maa community. “But the booking was later cancelled under mysterious circumstances.”
Amid cheers and waving herding sticks, the crowd welcomed the shift in venue, with Gachagua presenting it as a new chapter rooted in community ownership.
“This DCP party is yours,” he said, pitching the Maa region as a launchpad for a grassroots-driven political revolution. “It’s your responsibility to find the venue, welcome the guests, and provide security.”
According to the former DP, Nairobi-based events had become unreliable, often disrupted by what he described as “state-sponsored goons.”
He expressed confidence that the Maa community would offer a safer, more dignified environment for the party’s birth.
“Let a private venue be found here,” he urged. “Among the Maa, who would dare ruin the event?”
DCP’s rocky path to July 7
The launch of DCP has faced logistical hiccups from the outset. Initially scheduled for June 4, the event was rescheduled to June 3 due to Kasarani’s availability — only for the reservation to be inexplicably revoked.
The move has raised eyebrows in political circles, with critics accusing the state of undermining opposition mobilisation.
Despite the setbacks, Gachagua remains undeterred, leveraging the symbolism of Saba Saba Day to reframe his party as a continuation of Kenya’s democratic struggle.
