Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has likened the political mood ahead of the 2027 General Election to the 2002 opposition movement that ended KANU’s decades-long rule, insisting that President William Ruto should serve only one term.
Speaking in an interview with KTN on Wednesday, Gachagua said the country was experiencing what he described as a “2002 moment”, as opposition leaders seek to unite behind a single presidential candidate to challenge the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“We are having a 2002 moment in all facets,” Gachagua said, drawing parallels between the current political environment and the opposition coalition that rallied behind Mwai Kibaki in the 2002 election.
The former Deputy President has repeatedly argued that the opposition must set aside individual ambitions and agree on a common candidate if it is to mount an effective challenge against Ruto in the August 2027 election.
Gachagua, who leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), has been involved in consultations with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and other opposition figures as efforts to build a joint political front gather pace.
He maintained that the opposition should allow Kenyans to determine its political direction, while declining to identify leaders he believed might refuse to support the eventual flagbearer.
“I don't want to say it's who. Why is that? Why should I? Let me leave it to the people of Kenya,” he said.
The remarks come amid growing debate over when the opposition should settle on its presidential candidate, with differences emerging over whether the decision should be made before the end of the year or left until early 2027.
Kalonzo’s allies have pushed for an early announcement, arguing that the candidate needs sufficient time to organise a national campaign. Gachagua’s camp has favoured continued consultations to avoid alienating other aspirants and potential coalition partners.
The former Deputy President has previously pledged to support whoever is selected to carry the opposition ticket, even if he is not the candidate.
“If it is not me, I will support whoever will be picked as the opposition flagbearer unconditionally,” he said during his engagements in the United States in September.
His latest remarks also renew his direct challenge to Ruto, whom he has accused of failing to address the concerns of ordinary Kenyans, including the cost of living and economic pressures facing households.
Gachagua has used the university lecturers’ strike and other public grievances to criticise the administration’s priorities, arguing that the government must be held accountable for its promises.
However, his claim that Kenya is experiencing a repeat of 2002 remains a political assessment rather than an established national consensus. Unlike the Kibaki-led opposition coalition, which eventually agreed on a common candidate, the current opposition has yet to settle its leadership question.
In 2002, opposition parties united under the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), with Kibaki defeating KANU candidate Uhuru Kenyatta to end the ruling party’s 39-year hold on power.
