Former Deputy President and Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua on Monday hosted Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and other leaders of the Linda Mwananchi movement at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri, just hours after returning from a nearly two-month stay in the United States.
Gachagua welcomed the delegation in a Facebook and X post, referring to them as his “cousins from Linda Mwananchi” and stating, “When we come together, great things must happen.” Photos and videos circulating online showed the leaders arriving and meeting at the residence.
The meeting comes amid growing speculation of closer cooperation between Gachagua’s DCP and the Sifuna-led Linda Mwananchi movement ahead of the 2027 General Election. DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala has previously indicated that the party intends to partner first with Linda Mwananchi before engaging other opposition groups in broader coalition talks. Gachagua has in recent months publicly supported Sifuna’s political ambitions, including congratulating him on the launch of The Equitable Party (which the movement has sought to rebrand as Linda Mwananchi) and stating his willingness to support or even serve as a running mate if Sifuna emerges as the strongest opposition candidate to challenge President William Ruto.
Linda Mwananchi, which positions Sifuna as its preferred presidential contender, has been expanding its grassroots presence and resolving internal questions over its political vehicle. Earlier tensions between camps aligned with Sifuna and Babu Owino over party options had drawn Gachagua’s intervention from the US, where he urged unity and alleged state efforts to divide the movement. The presence of both Sifuna and Babu Owino at Wamunyoro on Monday suggests ongoing efforts to maintain cohesion within the group.
Gachagua left Kenya on August 26 for diaspora engagements across several US states before returning quietly to Wamunyoro. The high-profile hosting of the Linda Mwananchi team so soon after his arrival has intensified discussions about opposition realignments, with analysts watching whether the engagement will translate into a formal alliance or joint strategy against the incumbent administration. No formal agreement was announced following the meeting.
The development adds to a fluid political landscape as parties and movements position themselves with less than a year to the next polls.