Video: Rigathi Gachagua Launches 2027 Presidential Bid, Promises to Bring Down Ruto's Administration

• The former deputy president, Rigathi Gachgua, announced his intention to contest for the presidency in 2027, kicking off a campaign with the aim of ousting President William Ruto.
• To mount a formidable challenge against Ruto, Gachagna mentioned that they are forming an alliance with opposition leaders. The objective is to unite their strengths and aim for more than 70% of the votes.
• Gachauga pledged to prevent Ruto from being re-elected at all costs, asserting that he needs to return home, and is seeking to gather unified backing for the opposition.
• Even though he was involved in an impeachment controversy, Gachagna maintained his stance that he is legally permitted to run for president, referring to Kenyan law as his basis.

Didacus Malowa, a journalist with .co.ke, comes with more than three years of expertise in reporting on politics and contemporary issues in Kenya.

The former vice president, Rigathi Gachgua, has announced his plans to contest for presidency in 2027 with an aim to challenge President William Ruto’s position. He has initiated a campaign towards this objective.

During an appearance on Weru TV from Meru, Gachagna stated that he is not just getting ready to campaign but is also forming a alliance with other leaders who share his views to guarantee that Ruto is overwhelmingly defeated in the initial voting round.

Gachauga was blunt as he initiated a fierce political assault on Ruto and pledged to prevent his re-election by every means necessary.

The previous deputy disclosed both his aspiration for the presidency and a larger strategy to consolidate the opposition and force the current president out of office after a single term.

“I am throwing my hat into the presidential race... If they choose not to select me, it’s fine; I will back another candidate instead. However, President Ruto needs to step down. Absolutely! We'll employ whichever strategy proves effective,” he asserted.

Gachauga introduced himself as a key figure in a fresh political initiative aiming to create a broad coalition to challenge Ruto's attempt at re-election.

How will the opposition collaborate with Gachagna?

As stated by the ex-vice president, discussions are currently taking place amongst various candidates vying for presidency, including Martha Karua, Kalonzo Musyoka, Fred Matiang'i, and Eugene Wamalwa.

His aim was to unite their efforts behind a solitary contender who could be powerful enough to win against Ruto in the first round.

"Everybody aims to lead; I'm campaigning for presidency, Martha Karua is vying for presidency, Kalonzo is also in the race for presidency, Matiang'i is seeking the same position, and so is Eugene Wamalwa... Ultimately, we will discuss and decide to allow just one individual to proceed," he declared.

Gachagna emphasized the significance of having a well-defined and unified approach to ensure victory, indicating that the alliance aims to achieve more than 70% plus one of the votes.

"The most effective strategy for him is to secure victory in Round 1 with at least 70% plus one vote. This is our objective—to achieve 70% plus one—and we have concurred that this should be publicly announced. We will pledge to the citizens of Kenya that once the final round comes around, all presidential contenders amongst us will convene and select an individual to challenge William Ruto. Furthermore, everyone else will support whoever emerges as the chosen candidate," he declared.

How might Gachagna overcome potential impeachment challenges?

His statement arrives amidst a brewing political and legal storm since his impeachment from office, a significant occurrence that marked him as the inaugural deputy president in Kenya’s chronicles to encounter such an ordeal.

The parliament approved the impeachment motion against him in October 2024, alleging serious breaches of conduct and constitutional infractions.

Gachauga responded to questions regarding his qualification to run amid ongoing legal issues by citing Kenyan judicial precedents.

According to Kenyan law, you retain your right to run for a position even if you have an ongoing court case, provided it has not reached a final decision at the Supreme Court level. The legislation indicates that until every possible legal step is taken, individuals can still compete for various positions. In Mr. Rigathi Gachgua's situation, his proceedings haven't commenced yet; they'll first be heard in the High Court. Should things not proceed favorably, the matter would then move up to the Court of Appeal, and ultimately could reach the Supreme Court,” he elaborated.

He cited the example of Sirisia MP John Waluke to back up his point, emphasizing that one should not be barred from running for office due to ongoing legal processes until every option for appeals has been fully explored.

Gachauga maintained that as long as the Supreme Court has not delivered its final judgment, he remains legally entitled to contest for the presidency.