Gachagua tears into Muturi and Matiang’i, questions their political worth in Opposition

Gachagua tears into Muturi and Matiang’i, questions their political worth in Opposition

The former Deputy President accuses fellow Opposition leaders of failing to mobilise voters, dismissing their criticism as the battle for influence ahead of the 2027 elections intensifies.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has launched a blistering attack on Opposition principals Justin Muturi and Fred Matiang’i, questioning their political worth, accusing them of failing to mobilise voters and challenging them to prove they have the grassroots support needed to challenge President William Ruto in 2027.

Speaking at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri on Tuesday, the former Deputy President dismissed accusations of arrogance, chest-thumping and high-handedness levelled against him by the two leaders, telling them to stop criticising him and focus on building the Opposition's support base.

In a combative address, Gachagua dismissed criticism from Matiang’i, the Jubilee Party presidential candidate, and Democratic Party of Kenya leader Muturi, who had accused him of arrogance, chest-thumping and high-handedness.

Build support for Opposition

The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader questioned why the two principals were criticising him instead of concentrating on building support for the Opposition across the country.

“I want to tell my colleagues in the Opposition to be serious. Let us work and stop criticising others. I was away for two months; you were not fighting Ruto. When I am back, you are now fighting me instead of Ruto,” said Gachagua.

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He maintained that he would only support an Opposition presidential candidate who respected him and his supporters, insisting that the country needed a hardworking leader capable of addressing its challenges.

“We cannot give this country to a lazy person because there is too much work to be done. You must show us that you are a person who works hard.”

Gachagua also accused some Opposition principals of spending their time in hotels instead of actively seeking support from voters, arguing that his political influence had been built through grassroots mobilisation.

“Now some people are just in hotels, yet they are making noise for me, saying that I am arrogant because we have support (numbers), yet we have earned this because of our hard work. I have told my brothers to go and look for votes,” he added.

By-elections

The DCP leader further accused Muturi and Matiang’i of failing to deliver votes for Opposition candidates in by-elections held in their respective political strongholds.

The latest exchange came amid escalating tensions within the United Opposition, with the three leaders trading accusations over leadership, political influence and the strategy for challenging President William Ruto in 2027.

On Monday, hours after Matiang’i accused Gachagua of arrogance and pride that could fracture the United Opposition, Muturi launched a fresh attack on the former Deputy President, accusing him of political bullying, double-speak and undermining efforts to unite the Opposition ahead of the next General Election.

In a statement, Muturi questioned Gachagua’s commitment to the Opposition’s shared ambition of capturing State House, warning that his insistence on a tripartite political arrangement could undermine efforts to build a united coalition capable of defeating Ruto.

Tripartite political arrangement

Gachagua has proposed an alliance bringing together the voting blocs of Mt Kenya, Western Kenya and Ukambani to secure more than the constitutional threshold of 50 per cent plus one required to win the presidency.

Under the proposed arrangement, Gachagua said he would anchor the coalition alongside Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.

He argued that his political wing would deliver the Mt Kenya and Maasai vote, which he estimated at 35 per cent of the national electorate, while Sifuna and Musyoka would mobilise support in Western Kenya and Ukambani, respectively.

However, Muturi dismissed the proposal, arguing that no single community could deliver the presidency. He maintained that winning the country's top seat required nationwide support, strategic partnerships and the ability to unite Kenyans across ethnic and regional lines.

Muturi also put the United Opposition on notice over what he described as Gachagua's attempts to weaken existing political cooperation. He warned that the former Deputy President risked creating the impression that he was more interested in negotiating political positions after the elections than winning the presidency.

He questioned whether the Opposition was genuinely focused on capturing State House or merely seeking control of parliamentary seats and devolved government positions at the expense of its broader national ambition.

Winning coalition

Muturi maintained that building a winning coalition required compromise, maturity and strategic thinking, arguing that a tripartite arrangement was not an automatic pathway to the presidency.

He further warned that attempts to divide an Opposition movement that needed unity raised questions about the political direction its leaders were pursuing.

“Let it be clear: No individual owns the United Opposition, and no community has a monopoly on Kenya’s presidency. Political partnerships must be built on mutual respect, not ultimatums, political bullying or supremacy contests,” he stated.

Muturi's remarks came hours after Matiang’i, during a Sunday interview with NTV, warned that Gachagua's arrogance, pride and political ambitions could weaken the Opposition's chances of defeating Ruto.

Matiang’i argued that the country's leadership should be determined through competition based on ideas, development platforms, track records, competence and qualifications rather than ethnic mobilisation.

“That majoritarian arrogance and that particular pride is precisely what is going to split the opposition and make it very difficult for the opposition to come together. The leadership and future of our country is not to be decided on ethnic balkanisation. I thought that this was a competition of ideas, platforms, track records, competence and qualifications,” Matiang’i said.