Gachagua: DCP has not endorsed Sifuna for 2027 presidential race

DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua during an interview on October 28, 2026/HANDOUT

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed claims that the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) has settled on Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as its preferred presidential candidate for the 2027 General Election, saying the remarks by deputy party leader Cleophas Malala do not represent the party’s official position.

Gachagua said Malala was expressing his personal opinion and had no authority to speak on behalf of the party, whose official position can only be communicated by the party leader or secretary general.

“First and foremost, the deputy party leader Cleophas Malala is not the spokesman of DCP. The spokesman of the DCP is the secretary general or the party leader. So, that is not the party position. That is his personal opinion and he is allowed, by the way,” Gachagua said.

Speaking about Malala’s remarks, Gachagua said the former Kakamega senator was seeking to appeal to the political interests of Western Kenya, where Sifuna enjoys support.

“When he is speaking in Western, he is speaking what the people of Western would want to hear, and he is a good politician. So, the people of Western Kenya naturally would want Sifuna to be the flag bearer,” he said.

Gachagua said Malala had been lobbying him to support Sifuna’s presidential bid and was free to continue doing so, but should clearly distinguish between his personal views and official party positions.

“He would want to persuade Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka and persuade me to support Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna. It is within his right. By the way, there is nothing wrong. In fact, he has tried to persuade me. That is true. I give it to him. He has tried to persuade me. He is still persuading me,” Gachagua said.

The former deputy president said he had advised Malala to clarify that he was speaking in his personal capacity rather than announcing a decision by the party.

Gachagua maintained that DCP had not officially endorsed Sifuna, adding that any decision on the party’s preferred candidate should not be inferred from Malala’s remarks.

“He doesn’t speak for the party. The party spokesman is either the party leader or the secretary general. That is not the official party position, and I cannot persuade Kalonzo to support Sifuna,” he said.

He urged politicians to engage in lobbying for their preferred presidential candidates, describing the practice as a normal part of political negotiations ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Sifuna himself should persuade Kalonzo. Kalonzo should persuade Sifuna and everybody should persuade each other. And all of us, people can lobby for you,” Gachagua said.

He added that members of his own political camp were also lobbying Sifuna and Kalonzo to support his political ambitions, saying such negotiations were part of the ongoing political realignments ahead of the next General Election.