NAIROBI — Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya’s former Deputy President, has accused the government of meddling in the affairs of his new political outfit after the abrupt cancellation of its launch venue.
The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), which Gachagua is set to unveil next week, was meant to hold its first public event at the Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi on 3 June. But organisers say that Sports Kenya, the state agency managing the facility, withdrew the booking without notice—despite having accepted full payment.
“This cancellation is not just inconvenient,” Gachagua said in a statement to supporters on Wednesday. “It is an outright attempt by the government to sabotage the party’s launch.”
According to documents shared by DCP officials, the party had been billed Sh3.7 million to use the arena. The funds were paid in full. Initially, they had requested to hold the event on 4 June but were advised to shift it to the 3rd. Just days later, a letter from Sports Kenya informed them the facility would no longer be available not on the 3rd, or on any nearby date.
“The Kasarani Gymnasium is a public space. Every Kenyan has the right to access it,” Gachagua added.
Sports Kenya has not offered a public explanation for the decision, and repeated attempts to reach the agency for comment went unanswered by press time.
The incident comes as political tensions escalate within Kenya’s opposition bloc. Gachagua’s entry into the field with DCP is seen as a direct challenge to the dominance of the Uhuru Kenyatta-linked Jubilee Party in the Mt Kenya region.
He has dismissed recent moves to revive Jubilee under former Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i, saying it remains the personal vehicle of the former president. “Let him [Matiang’i] build his own platform,” Gachagua told reporters earlier this week.
Observers say Gachagua’s concern is that a stronger Jubilee could eat into the support base he is trying to build for DCP particularly in the central highlands where the two camps are vying for influence.
Both Jubilee and DCP are expected to align with opposition forces seeking to challenge President William Ruto’s administration. But growing divisions between the factions risk weakening their shared platform ahead of future electoral contests.
Despite the setback, Gachagua remained defiant. “We will not be intimidated,” he told a group of party members. “Kenyans want change. We are ready to give them that choice.”
The DCP has not yet indicated whether it will seek legal redress or book a different venue for the launch. Party officials say an announcement will be made “in due course.”
