Kenya: Gachagua to Ruto - 'Kenya Is Not Uganda or Tanzania' As He Warns Against Election Disruption

What the report says

Former Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua used a political meeting in Laikipia County to warn President William Ruto against any move that could delay or weaken the 2027 general election. Reporting via Capital FM and distributed by AllAfrica, the remarks were made on 19 August 2026 at Gachagua’s Wamunyoro residence during a consultative forum with Democratic Congress Party (DCP) aspirants.

Gachagua argued that Kenya’s elections must take place on the constitutional timetable and said voters would resist attempts to use unrest, gangs, or instability as a justification for postponement. He cast the contest as one that should be decided at the ballot box, and he urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to explain its preparedness and involve opposition parties in election planning. He also encouraged supporters in Mt Kenya to back anti-Ruto political efforts through voting and party organisation rather than violence.

The former deputy president repeated allegations that senior officials were enabling gang activity and linked his concerns to recent violence in Homa Bay, though the article did not provide evidence for those claims. He also dismissed the idea that alliances with political figures in Nyanza could secure the wider Luo vote for Ruto. In addition to his criticism of the government, Gachagua used the event to rally support for DCP in Laikipia, where he said the party would compete for major local seats and hold open nominations ahead of 2027. The comments come amid heightened political positioning in Kenya as parties begin preparing for the next election.