Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said he could leave Kenya and settle in the United States with his family if the Opposition loses the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua, who leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), said his decision would depend partly on whether Mt Kenya voters remain united behind a common Opposition presidential candidate.
Speaking during an interview with a vernacular television station on Sunday night, November 1, Gachagua expressed confidence that the Opposition could defeat President William Ruto but warned that internal divisions could undermine its chances.
“I am convinced that the Opposition will win, if it does not allow itself to be divided,” he said.
The former Deputy President singled out the Mt Kenya region, which remains an important political battleground, urging its leaders and voters to avoid competing political interests that could split their support.
He suggested that he would consider leaving the country if the region failed to unite and instead allowed its political leaders to divide voters.
“If our people allow themselves to be divided, I will just board a plane and go to the US. I have a home there,” Gachagua said.
He added that he would not necessarily wait until after the election if he became convinced that the region's political leadership had misled voters.
“If I see that our people have been misled and divided through their own leaders, because I will be woke, I will not be here in Kenya,” he added.
Gachagua maintained that he had made efforts to bring the region together and would not accept blame if voters ignored his calls for unity.
“I have tried to unite the region, so no one will ask me any question. No one will ask me the reason for fleeing. I will just go to America with my people because I have a home there,” he said.
His remarks come after an extended visit to the United States, where he reportedly met Kenyans living there and spent time at his home. He left Kenya on August 26 and returned on October 20.
The comments add another dimension to the political realignments taking shape ahead of the 2027 General Election, as opposition leaders seek to build a united front against Ruto's re-election bid.
Mt Kenya's political direction is likely to remain a major factor in those calculations. Besides Gachagua, other leaders seeking influence in the region include People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, who heads the People's Party of Kenya.
Whether the Opposition can agree on a common presidential candidate remains a key question as the next election approaches.
