Gachagua fires back at Wamuchomba over claims she’s being forced to join DCP
Rigathi Gachagua during a past event
Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed claims by Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba that she is being coerced to join his political outfit.
Speaking during an interview on K24 TV on Monday, January 12, 2026, the former Deputy President said no one had forced Wamuchomba to defect to DCP, insisting that any pressure she may be feeling is coming from her constituents, not him.
Gachagua maintained that his role is simply to popularise the DCP party, arguing that voters in the Mt Kenya region are increasingly demanding that their leaders align with the new political movement ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“Forced by whom? It is the constituency. If they are telling her that without DCP she is gone, what can I do about it?” Gachagua posed. “Mine is just to sell DCP. I am not asking her to join. I am saying, if you want to be elected, come to DCP. If you are not in DCP, you won’t be elected. So who is coercing her? Who is intimidating her?”
The DCP leader further claimed that his influence in the region is organic, adding that he only sets the political pace and leaves it to Kenyans to decide whether to follow.
“My job is just to set the tempo. Whether people agree with me or not is not for me to decide. I have not told anyone to leave their party. I have only told people to join DCP, and if wananchi are saying yes, that is not me,” he said.
Wamuchomba’s claims
Last week, Wamuchomba accused Gachagua of intimidation and verbal attacks aimed at forcing her to defect from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to DCP.
In a post on her official X account on Monday, January 5, 2026, the legislator alleged that the DCP leader was using insults and political pressure to compel her to abandon UDA as new alliances begin to form ahead of the next general election.
Wamuchomba said she would not join Gachagua’s camp, vowing to remain in UDA until 2027. She also recalled facing similar pressure in 2023 when she voted against the Finance Bill.
“Sasa Wamunyoro anatumia kifua na matusi to intimidate me to join DCP,” she wrote. “When he was DP, he did the same to intimidate me when I voted NO for the Finance Bill 2023. God deflated him painfully.”
She further questioned the legitimacy of DCP’s leadership, claiming that records at the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) do not list Gachagua as an official of the party.
Wamuchomba also accused Kiambu Senator Karungo wa Thang’wa of being used to undermine leaders who have declined to join the new party.
“He’s using Sen Karungo to demean those not in the ‘Mlima’ party. If this party is truly strong, why don’t Karungo, Methu and Nyutu resign first and seek fresh mandates under it?” she asked.
“I am not joining the Masikio party. I am in UDA until 2027.”