Gatundu North MP: DCP is just a hub for UDA rejects in new colours
Gatundu North Member of Parliament Elijah Njoroge Kururia has dismissed the newly formed Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), launched by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, as merely a regrouping of disgruntled former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) members in rebranded attire.
Speaking during an interview on K24 TV on the morning of Friday, May 16, 2025, Kururia rejected the notion that the new political outfit represents a fresh political force, describing it instead as a safe haven for individuals ousted or sidelined within the ruling party.
“I must mention that Kenyans should not be worried. Our people — the supporters of William Ruto — are not shocked that there is DCP,” Kururia said. “DCP is full of people who were in the same UDA — all of them including Mbae [Peter Mbae]. DCP from Rigathi and all his people, they were all in UDA. But because umefukuzwa (you’ve been chased away), Ruto is bad. Mbae was not saying Ruto is bad when he was working with him,” he said.
The MP, who won his seat as an independent and has since aligned with President Ruto’s camp, made the remarks just a day after Gachagua unveiled the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) at a colourful ceremony held at the party’s new headquarters on Musa Gitau Road in Nairobi’s Lavington suburb.
Gachagua’s new party, adorned in neon green, brown, and white, bears the slogan ‘Skiza Wakenya’ – Swahili for ‘Listen to Kenyans’ – and features a logo of an ear cupped by fingers to symbolise attentiveness to the public.
Kururia’s criticism adds to a growing list of skeptical voices from within the Kenya Kwanza alliance, many of whom view the new outfit as a political detour rather than a credible alternative to President Ruto’s increasingly consolidated base.
Old guard, new banner
The DCP’s interim leadership reads like a who’s who of Kenya’s recent political history.
Former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala assumes the role of Deputy Party Leader, while former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi becomes National Organising Secretary.
Former Laikipia Women Representative Cate Waruguru has been tapped to lead the party’s women’s wing, and ex-Starehe MP Maina Kamanda will chair the newly formed Council of Eminent Persons – a group likely to shape the party’s ideological direction.
The launch is more than a rebranding exercise – it is Gachagua’s declaration of political independence after months of speculation, setbacks, and a dramatic fall from grace within President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Once considered the President’s closest lieutenant, Gachagua has spent the past year building a support base outside of the State House’s shadow.
Political analysts see DCP as a vehicle not just for personal ambition, but also as a rallying point for leaders disillusioned with the existing party machinery.
Once a staunch defender of the Kenya Kwanza coalition, Gachagua now emerges as its most visible breakaway figure.
His journey – from Deputy President to political insurgent – reflects the fluid, often unforgiving nature of Kenyan power politics.
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Martin Oduor
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