Former Deputy President and DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua welcomes former Inooro FM presenter Evelyn Waithira Muithirania to his party on November 4, 2026/HANDOUT

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has welcomed former Inooro FM presenter Evelyn Waithira Muithirania to the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).

Muithirania, who defected from the Jubilee Party declared her intention to contest for the Murang’a County Woman Representative seat on a DCP ticket.

Gachagua received Waithira at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri County.

In a statement, Gachagua said Waithira had expressed her ambition to represent Murang’a residents in the National Assembly, describing her as a strong contender for the position.

“This morning at our Wamunyoro residence, I have welcomed Evelyn Waithira Muithirania, who has defected from the Jubilee Party and joined DCP,” said Gachagua.

The former Deputy President disclosed that Waithira had performed strongly in the 2022 General Election, finishing second in the race after garnering more than 100,000 votes.

He assured her that the party would conduct free and fair nominations, urging her to begin mobilising support ahead of the party primaries scheduled for March next year.

“I have assured her that our party nominations will be free and fair, and encouraged her to hit the ground running, particularly on the membership-registration drive and prepare for the nominations scheduled for next March,” he said.

Former Inooro FM presenter Evelyn Waithira Muithirania and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua after she defected from Jubilee Party to DCP on November 4, 2026/HANDOUT

Waithira is seeking to unseat incumbent Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Njeri Maina, who was elected in 2022 on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.

Maina joined Parliament after defeating several competitors in the closely contested election. Before her election, she served in the Murang’a Woman Representative's office as an administrator between 2013 and 2019.

Waithira is a veteran Kikuyu-language broadcaster, entrepreneur and farmers' rights advocate who rose to prominence through her career at Inooro FM.

Popularly known as Baruthi wa Urimi (Farming Ambassador), she built a strong following across Central Kenya through programmes championing the interests of small-scale farmers.

Her media career also provided a platform for grassroots advocacy and civic education, making her one of the prominent female voices in vernacular broadcasting.

Her entry into DCP adds to Gachagua's efforts to strengthen the party's presence in the Mt Kenya region as political leaders begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.