Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua says he will pack up and move to the United States if President William Ruto wins a second term in 2027, warning that opposition leaders would face trouble under a renewed Ruto administration.

The former Deputy President made the remarks in an interview with Inooro TV on Sunday, his first long sit-down since returning from a two-month tour of the US on October 20. "I won't be here. I will be in America," he said, according to Kenyans.co.ke, linking the scenario to what he called a plan to divide the Mt Kenya vote.

A home in Texas

Gachagua has previously confirmed that he owns a house in Dallas, Texas, which he has described on social media as his "home away from home". During a visit in August 2025, diaspora supporters put up a "Karibu Wamunyoro, Texas" sign at the residence, a copy of the one at his rural home in Nyeri.

He insisted, however, that the opposition can still beat Ruto if the region votes as a bloc. "We cannot allow the Mt Kenya region to be divided," he said.

'They treated me like their king'

In the same interview, Gachagua gave a detailed account of how Kenyans in the US hosted him and his wife, Pastor Dorcas Gachagua, between August 26 and October 20. The Star reported that he said:

  • He did not stay in hotels; families with large houses were asked by the community to move out so the couple could live there
  • Women brought food to the house, while volunteers handled laundry and ironing
  • Supporters took him shopping for shoes and jeans and paid for everything
  • The trip cost about Sh150 million, all of it raised by the diaspora

"My two-month trip cost Sh150 million and I did not spend even a shilling. That money came from our people," he said. "They treated me like their king."

He added that he spent part of the tour praying and fasting, and that the experience hardened his resolve to build alliances with other communities ahead of 2027. Since returning, he has hosted delegations at his Wamunyoro home.

Opposition tensions

The remarks come at a delicate time for the opposition. On Sunday, Jubilee leader Fred Matiang'i accused Gachagua of arrogance that could split the united front, while supporters of Linda Mwananchi Movement leader Edwin Sifuna heckled Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka at a Nairobi event on Friday.

Opposition leaders insist they remain united in their goal of denying the President a second term.

Photos: Kenyans.co.ke / Rigathi Gachagua (Facebook). Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.