Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has openly positioned himself as the united opposition’s best bet to unseat President William Ruto in the 2027 general elections, has released a lengthy congratulatory message to Malawi’s President-elect, Professor Peter Mutharika, after he defeated incumbent Lazarus Chakwera.
While lauding the Malawian people, Gachagua’s statement shared on his X platform account was unmistakably directed at the Kenyan political landscape, drawing direct parallels and signaling his ambitions.
“The people of Malawi have demonstrated that the ballot remains the most powerful tool of liberation, where governments have failed to listen to their people,” Gachagua stated, adding, “To those clinging to power through lies, state-sponsored violence and propaganda, the bells are ringing.”
The message, which celebrates the defeat of an incumbent administration, is seen as an indirect critique of his former boss, President Ruto, and a rallying cry for the fragmented opposition.
“Kenya is equally watching, ahead of the 2027 General Elections, we must reject fear and cynicism, reject hopelessness, and reclaim our future through democratic means,” Gachagua declared.
This public stance comes at a time of intense maneuvering within the United Opposition often referred to as the ‘cousins coalition’. Gachagua’s declaration places him in the mix of the coalition’s flagbearer ticket that is quickly heating up by each day. His main rivals within the opposition ranks are also making strategic moves.
Wiper Party Leader and once Deputy President under Mwai Kibaki’s tenure, Kalonzo Musyoka, after notably turning down an invitation to attend ODM’s 20th-anniversary celebrations in Mombasa, has publicly declared, while on Citizen TV, that his time to be the presidential candidate is now, after serving as a running mate to Raila Odinga on multiple occasions.
Simultaneously, former Interior CS, Fred Matiang’i, now at the centre of a rejuvenated Jubilee Party, is also positioning himself as a central figure in the opposition’s plans.
By framing the upcoming election in continental terms, calling Malawi’s victory “Africa’s victory,” Gachagua aims to elevate his candidacy beyond local politics, presenting the 2027 contest as a historic imperative for democratic renewal in Kenya.
