Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has alleged that the Kenya Kwanza administration orchestrated a calculated plan to split opposition votes during the Mbeere North by-elections held on November 27.
Speaking on the evening of Wednesday, December 10, Gachagua claimed President William Ruto and former Senior Economic Advisor Moses Kuria colluded to use Kuria’s Chama Cha Kazi (CCK) party to divide votes within the Mount Kenya region, ultimately weakening Democratic Party (DP) candidate Newton Kariuki, popularly known as Karish.
The hotly contested poll saw United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Leonard Muriuki Wa Muthende clinch victory with 15,802 votes, narrowly edging out Karish, who garnered 15,308 votes, marking one of the tightest races in the by-elections.
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“When elders of Mbeere approached me, it was because of clan dynamics. Karish comes from one clan. Elders told me if we have two candidates, it is not good,” Gachagua said as he justified DCP’s decision to withdraw its candidate. “They asked me to step down so that this clan could have one candidate, so I withdrew the DCP candidate.”
According to the former Deputy President, opposition forces were well-positioned to secure the seat until Kuria fielded Duncan Mbui on a CCK ticket—an entry Gachagua insists was engineered by the government to dilute support for Karish.
“But then the government approached Kuria. His party is one of the many wheelbarrows,” Gachagua alleged. “They asked Kuria to field a guy who got 2,500 votes. Those votes, because of clan dynamics, could have gone to Newton Karish.”
Kuria, who has redirected his focus to building CCM after exiting President Ruto’s government, has previously dismissed claims that his party serves as a political decoy designed to weaken the opposition in the Mount Kenya region.
Gachagua also faulted the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) over the manner in which the by-elections were conducted but expressed satisfaction with the opposition’s overall performance.
DCP, which is barely seven months old, secured three seats in the mini-polls—Narok Town Ward (Douglas Masikonde), Kariobangi North Ward in Nairobi (David Wanyoike Warui), and Kisa East Ward in Kakamega (Dickson Okwiri Aduda).
“The by-elections gave DCP a chance to show its outlook and acceptance, and this is the party to watch. This was a small dance, and we are looking forward to the main dance,” Gachagua said.
He further noted that while he was content with DCP’s outcomes, he would support any opposition parties opting to challenge the results through the courts.