NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has officially declared his candidacy for the presidency, unveiling an agenda focused on debt reduction and economic revival.
Gachagua, who now leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), made the announcement on Sunday during a day-long tour of the Mt. Kenya region that culminated in a massive rally in Githurai.
Thousands of residents thronged the town, bringing traffic to a standstill as they gathered to hear his message.
“I will not stand before Kenyans and lie that I will build roads when the country is buried under a debt of Sh12 trillion,” Gachagua said. “My focus is to properly restore the state of our nation.”
The former deputy president positioned himself as a reformist, promising to roll back several policies introduced by President William Ruto’s administration.
Chief among them is the controversial housing levy, which he vowed to abolish immediately if elected.
“On my first day in office, I will scrap the housing levy and hand over all those houses to county governments. They will collect rent and compensate all those whose money was unfairly deducted,” he declared.
Gachagua drew inspiration from the leadership style of the late President Mwai Kibaki, pledging to prioritize humility, economic discipline, and inclusive governance.
He contrasted Kibaki’s record with what he described as failures of the current administration.
“In three years, what have we seen? Abductions, extra-judicial killings, theft of public resources, destruction of the health and education systems, and gangs harassing women,” he charged, accusing Ruto of presiding over corruption and abuse of power.
Gachagua also pushed back against critics questioning his academic background, arguing that true leadership lies in integrity and service.
“Kibaki studied at Makerere University and the London School of Economics, yet remained humble. That is the leadership we need,” he said.
His entry into the race sets the stage for a bruising contest in 2027, with Mt. Kenya expected to play a decisive role in shaping the country’s political future.
