Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is expected to remain in the United States until October 20, extending his stay abroad beyond the last political engagement listed in the itinerary released by his Democratic Citizens Party (DCP).
Gachagua left Kenya on August 26 for a 50-day tour of the US, where he is scheduled to meet Kenyans in the diaspora and undertake political engagements in five locations.
The DCP itinerary places his first political engagements in Spokane, Washington, from September 4 to September 10, followed by Portland, Oregon, from September 10 to September 16.
He will then travel to Kansas for engagements between September 16 and September 24, before proceeding to Dallas, Texas, from September 24 to October 1. His final listed stop is Boston, Massachusetts, where he is expected to be until October 9.
However, lawyers representing Gachagua have told the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) that he will be out of the country from August 26 to October 20.
The lawyers cited the trip in declining an NCIC summons requiring Gachagua to appear before the commission on August 27 over remarks allegedly made at various political events.
Citizen Digital reported that Gachagua's lawyers said the trip was pre-planned and that their client would be unavailable for the summons.
The October 20 date means Gachagua could remain in the US for almost two weeks after the conclusion of his publicly released political itinerary.
The extended stay comes as Gachagua intensifies efforts to position the DCP ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The party has continued political activities in Kenya during his absence, with senior officials taking responsibility for organising its programmes.
Gachagua has also indicated that his time in the US will not be entirely devoted to political activities.
Before his departure, he said he planned to take 10 days to rest, pray, meditate, read and spend time with his wife, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi.
“I like to take 10 days to rest, meditate, pray, read, and re-energize and spend some quality time with my wife,” Gachagua said.
He also gave a political explanation for wanting to spend an extended period outside Kenya, saying he wanted to make decisions away from the influence of his political associates.
“I want to make decisions without undue influence,” he said.
Gachagua said his political environment at home had too many competing voices.
“When I'm here there's a lot of influence — Kaguchia tells me this, Methu that; this pulls me one way, this the other way,” he said.
He added: “There are things I'm planning that cannot be planned here.”
His comments have placed the US tour in the context of his political preparations for 2027, as he seeks to expand the DCP's support beyond his traditional political base.
The itinerary will take him to communities of Kenyans in different parts of the US, providing an opportunity to sell his political message to the diaspora while engaging supporters of his party.
The DCP has described the tour as part of its efforts to engage Kenyans living abroad.
The party's political programme, however, ends on October 9, while the date communicated by Gachagua's lawyers to the NCIC is October 20.
The difference has raised questions about what will keep the former Deputy President in the US after his scheduled political engagements end.
Gachagua's absence also comes at a time when opposition parties and political leaders are increasingly discussing possible alliances ahead of the 2027 elections.
Since leaving office following his impeachment, Gachagua has increasingly presented himself as a central figure in the opposition and has used the DCP to organise political activities across the country.
His latest US tour therefore gives him several weeks outside Kenya as political parties begin positioning themselves for the next election.
For now, the DCP's published programme puts Gachagua's final political engagement in Boston on October 9.
His lawyers, however, have told the NCIC that he will remain outside Kenya until October 20.
