Democracy for the Citizens (DCP) party leader Rigathi Gachagua speaks during a delegation meeting at his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri on November 3, 2026/ SCREENGRAB

Speaking on Tuesday while receiving a delegation at his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri county, Gachagua argued that the opposition's political activity had slowed during his nearly two-month stay in the United States, but had picked up following his return to Kenya.

He said opposition leaders needed to concentrate on building voter support across the country rather than simply declaring their commitment to defeating Ruto.

“I am the most committed person in the entire United Opposition. I have proven by action that I am a serious mobiliser,” Gachagua said.

The former Deputy President maintained that his commitment should be measured by the political work he was doing to bring together opposition leaders and mobilise supporters ahead of the next election.

He said removing Ruto from office would require the opposition to organise its supporters and establish how many votes each leader could bring to a joint presidential campaign.

“As an experienced politician, as somebody who has delivered the presidency before, there is no other formula for sending William Ruto home unless you go out and mobilise numbers. And we must discuss numbers. Some are uncomfortable discussing numbers. They must be discussed. I believe in numbers,” he said.

Gachagua said he had already begun discussions with opposition leaders on the number of votes they could mobilise, starting with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.

He said he met Sifuna shortly after returning to Kenya and discussed a target of between four million and five million votes.

“I came back, and on the first day I told Sifuna to come so that we could discuss numbers. We sat under these trees, talked about numbers and settled on four to five million. We told him to go and work towards those five million and then come back so that we could bring them together,” he said.

He said he subsequently held similar discussions with Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka, whom he associated with a target of three million votes and DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa, whom he said could mobilise another one million.

The figures were Gachagua's estimates of the support he believed the respective leaders could bring into a united opposition campaign.

He said his approach to mobilisation involved direct engagement with political leaders and grassroots supporters, rather than relying on social media activity, correspondence or meetings in hotels and boardrooms.

“I am not a person who stays in hotels and boardrooms. I have no time. I do not write letters. I am not a social media person. I am a person of action and Ruto will be sent home through numbers,” he said.

Gachagua's remarks also followed his return from an extended tour of the United States, which began on August 26 and ended with his return to Kenya on October 20.

The trip covered diaspora and political engagements in several locations, including Spokane in Washington, Portland in Oregon, Kansas City, Texas and Boston. The DCP itinerary initially outlined the engagements as part of a tour lasting more than a month.

Before leaving, Gachagua had said he wanted time away from his political associates to reflect and make decisions without what he described as undue influence. He had also said he planned to rest and spend time with his wife, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi.