NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared that the opposition must unite behind a single presidential candidate to challenge President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election, saying he would support another contender if circumstances prevent him from running.
Speaking a day after rejecting the High Court ruling on his impeachment case, Gachagua revealed that his political advisers had directed him to prioritise efforts to consolidate the opposition and agree on one flagbearer to face Ruto.
According to Gachagua, a 60-member caucus comprising elders and professionals met virtually on Monday night to assess the political landscape following the court judgment and the implications for the 2027 race.
“Following the High Court ruling, my 60-member caucus of elders and professionals who advise me on political, social and economic issues held a virtual meeting last night,” Gachagua said.
“They have tasked me to engage in what, in their view, is of utmost priority: the identification of a single presidential candidate to face President William Ruto.”
The former Deputy President said the group was unanimous that opposition fragmentation would hand President Ruto an advantage and weaken efforts to build a formidable challenge against the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“They have instructed me that having a single presidential candidate against President William Ruto is not negotiable and is the only way to liberate this country,” he added.
His remarks are likely to intensify debate within opposition circles, where discussions over the identity of a joint presidential candidate have already generated competing positions among key leaders, including Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, Fred Matiang’i and Gachagua himself.
While maintaining that he intends to challenge the High Court decision at the Court of Appeal, Gachagua suggested that his personal political ambitions would not stand in the way of opposition unity.
The former Deputy President indicated he would support a consensus candidate if legal or political circumstances eventually prevent him from contesting the presidency.
His comments came as he renewed criticism of the High Court ruling, particularly the award of Sh50 million in constitutional damages after judges found that his fair trial rights had been violated during Senate impeachment proceedings.
“The Sh50 million awarded to me by the three-judge bench is an insult and a mockery of the Constitution. Money was never the issue here; justice and constitutional supremacy were,” he said.
Gachagua further alleged that he had previously rejected a Sh2 billion offer allegedly made to persuade him to resign instead of facing impeachment proceedings, a claim that has not been independently verified and has not publicly been addressed by President Ruto.
“If I were interested in money, Ruto had offered me Sh2 billion in an effort to entice me to avoid impeachment and choose resignation, but I stood for my rights and those of over seven million Kenyans who voted for me,” he claimed.
“No offer, no amount of money can stand between me, my rights, and the rights of the citizens of Kenya under the Constitution. If I could reject Sh2 billion, offering me Sh50 million is a serious joke.”
The High Court on Monday declined to overturn Gachagua’s impeachment but ruled that his right to a fair hearing had been violated during Senate proceedings. The former Deputy President has since instructed his legal team, led by Senior Counsel Paul Muite, to appeal the judgment.
