Former Deputy President and Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has stepped up efforts to strengthen his 2027 presidential campaign, with the former deputy president turning his attention to some of the late Raila Odinga’s traditional political strongholds.
On Saturday, August 8, Gachagua toured Kajiado County, where he met members of the Maa community and appealed to voters who had traditionally supported Raila to shift their political allegiance to him ahead of the 2027 General Election.
During his engagement with residents, Gachagua criticised his past political partnership with President William Ruto, expressing regret over supporting the 2022 campaign message centred on the wheelbarrow economic agenda
He accused Ruto of misleading Kenyans with promises that he said had failed to materialise, while also acknowledging his own role in backing the campaign as a political science student.
Gachagua contrasted his experience with that of the Maa community, which largely supported Raila during the 2022 election, arguing that the community had been more discerning in its political choices.
The former deputy president subsequently made a direct appeal to the Maa voters to transfer the political loyalty they previously accorded Raila to his 2027 presidential campaign.
He also placed land rights at the centre of his pitch to the community, pledging to address historical land injustices affecting the Maasai and restore land he claimed had been unlawfully acquired if he wins the presidency.
Gachagua’s Kajiado tour marks an open attempt to court the Maa vote bloc as he expands his campaign beyond his traditional Mt Kenya political base.
The Maa community has historically been associated with Raila’s political camp, particularly through the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), although sections of the community have recently sought to chart an independent political path.