The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has launched a sharp attack on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over his recent letter to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), dismissing it as misguided and accusing him of seeking to discredit the electoral body for political gain.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, the ruling party rejected Gachagua's claims regarding the commission's conduct, arguing that he had failed to present a legitimate complaint and was instead advancing what it described as a "long-running soap opera" of political victimhood.
UDA said it had read Gachagua's eight-page memorandum to the IEBC with astonishment, claiming it reflected personal grievances rather than genuine concerns about the electoral process.
"The letter addressed to you is not a complaint. It is the latest instalment in the long-running soap opera starring Rigathi Gachagua as the tragic hero who has never encountered an institution he does not accuse of aiding his enemies," the party stated.
The ruling party argued that Gachagua has repeatedly targeted independent public institutions whenever political events do not go in his favour, accusing him of turning personal setbacks into what it termed national conspiracies.
UDA also referenced Gachagua's impeachment from office, arguing that he lacked the moral authority to lecture the IEBC on electoral integrity.
According to the party, Gachagua was impeached over allegations that included gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office, corruption, and conduct considered ethnically divisive.
"The same man who now purports to lecture the IEBC on the sanctity of process was, until recently, the second-highest office holder in the land," the statement read.
The party further alleged that during his tenure as deputy president, Gachagua faced questions relating to unexplained wealth and integrity, adding that he now seeks to portray himself as the sole defender of electoral justice.
UDA also dismissed Gachagua's claims that the IEBC operates under political influence, describing the allegations as unsubstantiated and unsupported by evidence.
The party further argued that while Gachagua had criticised the commission over alleged irregularities in previous by-elections, he had failed to condemn violence allegedly linked to individuals within his own political camp.
According to UDA, political activities associated with Gachagua's Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) in the Mt Kenya region have increasingly been characterised by incitement and unrest.
The ruling party also defended the IEBC's disciplinary action against Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia, whose case Gachagua had cited as evidence of alleged bias by the commission.
UDA maintained that Muhia had been cited over allegations of incitement, intimidation and threats during the Ol Kalou by-election campaigns, adding that Gachagua had remained silent on what it described as inflammatory conduct by his allies.
The party concluded by urging the IEBC to remain focused on delivering a credible electoral process and not to be distracted by what it termed calculated attempts to undermine the commission's credibility ahead of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
