Vehicles at Rigathi Gachagua's Wamunyoro home parking lot as leaders arrived for grassroots consultations with the DCP leader, June 18, 2026. /DCP
Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua's Wamunyoro residence was a hive of activity on Thursday as what he described as extensive consultations with grassroots opinion leaders gathered momentum.
The former Deputy President announced the start of the engagements earlier this week, days after concluding a three-day political tour of Western Kenya that formed part of the opposition's efforts to strengthen support ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua, who has declared his intention to challenge President William Ruto in the next election, has increasingly positioned himself at the centre of opposition mobilisation efforts even as the United Alternative Government coalition is yet to settle on a single presidential candidate.
The opposition outfit brings together Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi.
The consultations at Wamunyoro come against the backdrop of an intensified campaign by opposition leaders to consolidate support across different regions of the country.
Last week, Gachagua was joined by several coalition principals during a tour that covered Kisumu, Vihiga, Kakamega, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties.
During the tour, the leaders urged supporters to rally behind a united opposition front, arguing that unity would be critical in mounting a formidable challenge against President Ruto in 2027.
Speaking during an interview in Kitale on Sunday at the end of the Western Kenya tour, Gachagua maintained that unity remained the coalition's most important objective.
"We must remove William Ruto from power, and when William Ruto is in power, the way to remove him is to unite," he said.
The Western Kenya tour also saw the opposition seek to deepen ties with influential leaders from the region, including Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, who has emerged as one of the government's most vocal critics.
Ahead of the tour, Gachagua disclosed that he had briefed Natembeya on the outcome of a 45-day stakeholder engagement process at his Wamunyoro home aimed at building consensus around the identification of a single presidential candidate for the opposition alliance.
The latest meetings at Wamunyoro appear to be a continuation of that process.
On Tuesday, Gachagua hosted opinion leaders from Nyandarua county, describing the gathering as the first in a series of consultations that would inform the opposition's next steps.
He said the engagements were guided by the belief that political leaders must listen to citizens and incorporate their views into governance and coalition-building efforts.
"Our governance module in the next administration is strongly anchored on listening to the people, whom our constitution vests supremacy unto. I am grateful to opinion leaders from Nyandarua county and greatly value their insights and contributions; this was the first team I have engaged, and I am delighted," Gachagua said.
According to Gachagua, the discussions are intended to help shape both the opposition's political strategy and governance agenda ahead of the next election cycle.
The former Deputy President said the consultations were informed by the mandate he received from residents of the Mt Kenya region to engage leaders from other parts of the country in pursuit of a broad-based political alliance.
"I assure them, in exercise of the mandate they have given me to engage other leaders, I will be guided by their advice and views. The extensive consultations will continue," he said.
Images shared on Thursday through the DCP party's official social media platforms showed dozens of vehicles parked within and around the expansive Wamunyoro residence, underscoring the growing interest in the consultations.
The photographs depicted a packed compound as delegations continued to stream in for the engagements.
"Something is cooking at Wamunyoro. They'll not believe it," read a caption accompanying the images shared by the party.
The consultations come at a time when opposition leaders are increasingly focusing on coalition-building as political activity gradually shifts towards the 2027 General Election.
While the opposition coalition has repeatedly insisted it will field a single presidential candidate, its leaders have maintained that the process of identifying that candidate will be guided by consensus and consultations with supporters across the country.
For Gachagua, the Wamunyoro meetings represent the latest phase of an outreach campaign that has seen him move from regional engagements in Mt Kenya to broader consultations with political leaders from other regions as the opposition seeks to strengthen its national footprint.
