Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, as he enters the fourth week of an extended tour of the United States that has increasingly taken on a political dimension.
Gachagua left Kenya on August 26 and is expected to remain in the US until October 9, with stops planned in Washington, Oregon, Kansas, Texas and Massachusetts.
He arrived in Kansas City with his wife, Rev Dorcas Rigathi, and said he would continue engaging Kenyans living in the state.
“The love and warmth I have received since beginning this tour are truly immeasurable,” Gachagua said.
He added that his interactions with Kenyans abroad had inspired him by what he described as their commitment to Kenya despite living outside the country.
The Kansas City visit follows stops in Spokane and Portland, where Gachagua used meetings with Kenyans to speak about the country's political and economic situation and his plans ahead of the 2027 General Election.
His tour has also provided him with an opportunity to cultivate support among Kenyans living abroad as he positions himself in the opposition political camp.
From a break to political mobilisation
When Gachagua left Kenya, he initially said he wanted to spend the first 10 days resting, praying, reading and spending time with his family.
He also suggested that his extended stay would give him space to reflect on his political future away from pressure from political allies at home.
“I want to make decisions without undue influence,” he said before his departure.
The break, however, has since evolved into a series of diaspora meetings in which Gachagua has openly discussed the 2027 political contest.
In Spokane, he engaged Kenyans on governance and accountability before moving to Oregon, where his message became more directly political.
In Portland, he told Kenyans not to hurry back home because, in his assessment, the economic situation remained difficult.
“Don't be in a hurry to come back to Kenya. Pale si kuzuri,” he said.
He has also attacked the Ruto administration over what he describes as corruption, poor governance and the concentration of economic power.
Gachagua has alleged that President William Ruto has interests in several sectors of the economy, including banking, insurance, healthcare, manufacturing and transport, claims the President and his administration have not accepted.
He has described what he calls “state capture” as one of the issues an opposition administration would have to address.
The 2027 question
Gachagua's engagements in the US come as opposition parties continue efforts to establish how they will face the 2027 election.
He has said he is willing to support a joint opposition presidential candidate, while at the same time maintaining that the opposition should not rush to name its flagbearer.
The former Deputy President has also indicated that he considers himself a potential presidential contender.
The balancing act has placed him at the centre of discussions over whether the opposition can unite behind one candidate and build a political coalition that reaches beyond its traditional strongholds.
Some of his supporters in the US have themselves pressed him to pursue a more national political strategy.
Diaspora groups supporting his Democracy for the Citizens Party have called for broader alliances and greater efforts to unite opposition forces ahead of the election.
The demands highlight one of the key challenges facing Gachagua as he builds his political platform: turning his strong support in Mt Kenya into a broader national coalition.
Ruto allies respond
His activities in the US have also attracted criticism from allies of President Ruto.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has dismissed Gachagua's political influence and criticised his continued attacks on the government.
Kindiki has also said he previously held discussions with Gachagua in an effort to persuade him to stop his political confrontation with Ruto.
Gachagua, however, has continued to attack the administration and has accused the government of attempting to weaken his political base in Mt Kenya.
His criticism of Ruto has been matched by increasingly sharp attacks from the President and his allies, setting the stage for a political contest that is already taking shape more than a year before the 2027 election.
Kansas, Texas and Boston next
Gachagua's US itinerary is expected to take him from Kansas to Texas and eventually Massachusetts.
He is scheduled to remain in Kansas until September 24 before travelling to Dallas, where he will spend the following week. The final leg of the tour will be in Boston, where he is expected to remain until October 9.
By the time he returns to Kenya, Gachagua will have spent more than six weeks in the United States.
The former Deputy President's latest message from Kansas City suggests that the diaspora tour remains focused on building relationships with Kenyans abroad while giving him a platform to articulate his political position ahead of 2027.
