BOSTON — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has thrown his hat firmly into the ring for the 2027 presidential race, declaring himself the most capable candidate to take on President William Ruto.
Speaking to Kenyans in Boston on Sunday, Gachagua said he believes he stands the best chance of winning the presidency and ending Ruto’s time in office after just one term.
“I am the frontrunner, and I think I have the best chance to be president,” Gachagua said during the diaspora forum.
It’s the clearest signal yet of his intent to lead the opposition into the next election. However, he was quick to clarify that no formal agreement has been reached within the opposition on who the joint candidate will be.
“We have not settled on anybody,” he said. “There’s only one thing that has been agreed on and it’s one term.”
Gachagua, who served as Ruto’s deputy from 2022 to 2024, has been on a month-long tour of the United States, rallying support from Kenyans abroad especially from the Mt. Kenya region, where he claims strong backing.
“I delivered Mt. Kenya in 2022,” he told the audience. “And I can deliver it again.”
The 60-year-old politician has spent the last several months building alliances and reconnecting with grassroots leaders after his dramatic fallout with Ruto last year. Insiders say he’s banking on his influence in central Kenya and among disaffected voters nationwide to mount a serious challenge.
Still, the road ahead remains uncertain. Other opposition figures including Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, and even Raila Odinga’s allies are said to be eyeing the presidency, though none has formally announced their bid.
Gachagua said that a meeting is planned for December 2026, where opposition leaders will come together and choose a single candidate.
“After Christmas next year, we will meet and decide who carries the flag one candidate to face William Ruto,” he said.
In recent weeks, some leaders from the ODM party, including Nairobi MPs, have called for unity within the opposition and criticised Gachagua for what they describe as “premature ambition.”
Others, like Senate Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, have warned all politicians against early campaigns, urging them instead to focus on electoral reforms and national dialogue.
Despite the noise, Gachagua appears undeterred. “I know what I bring to the table,” he said. “I have the experience, the numbers, and the will.”
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