Malala maintained that he remains an influential member of the outfit and has no reason to feel pushed out of the leadership by Methu, who's popular in Mt Kenya

Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala speaking on Citizen TV on November 1, 2026/ SCREENGRAB

He was speaking during an interview on Citizen TV's Sunday night show, where he was asked about his relationship with party leader Rigathi Gachagua and whether Methu had taken over some of his responsibilities.

"It is only an inferior mind which can feel that. I think I am too superior for that," Malala said when asked if he felt sidelined.

He said he was among the people who founded DCP and remained committed to the party.

"I am among the founding members of DCP. This is my party, the first that I founded," he said.

Malala also denied that Methu had taken over his position when Gachagua travelled to the US recently.

He said Methu had been assigned to mobilise support for the party in the Mt Kenya region, where he was better placed to organise activities.

"What business will I be doing mobilising people in Karatina? I think Methu has a better sense of occasion to mobilise people in Karatina," Malala said.

He described Methu as being in charge of the Mountain, saying the senator had been assigned to maintain the party's presence in the region.

"We had to assign Methu to keep the mountain warm. And he did a very good job," he said.

Malala also disputed the perception that DCP was a Mt Kenya party, saying the region was one of its strongholds but not the limit of its political ambitions.

He cited the party's victories in by-elections outside the region and said its influence was growing in other parts of the country.

"Our influence is growing day by day in the Maasai community and even in Kipsigis land," he said.

His remarks came days after Gachagua addressed questions about the deputy party leader's public political positions and his role in communicating DCP's official position.

Speaking during an interview on KTN on October 28, 2026 night, Gachagua said Malala was not the party's spokesperson and that his remarks supporting Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna for the opposition presidential ticket represented his personal opinion.

"First and foremost, the deputy party leader is not the spokesman of the DCP. The spokesman of the DCP is the secretary general or the party leader," Gachagua said.

He said Malala was entitled to campaign for Sifuna but should make it clear when he was expressing a personal preference rather than speaking for the party.

Gachagua said Malala had tried to persuade him to support Sifuna and was still lobbying him.

"He would want to persuade Kalonzo and persuade me to support Sifuna. It's within his right. By the way, there's nothing wrong," he said.

The DCP leader described Malala as a young politician he was mentoring and said he had advised him to distinguish his personal views from the party's official position.

"I cannot chide him or be rough on him," Gachagua said.

He added that other politicians in his camp were also lobbying him and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka over their preferred presidential candidates.