Gachagua’s DCP Seeks to Avoid Vote Splitting Ahead of 2027 Polls
The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) has proposed a zoning plan that would see opposition parties field joint candidates in five major counties during the 2027 General Election.
The strategy, announced after a party retreat in Kilifi, focuses on Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret and Nakuru. DCP leaders say the aim is to avoid splitting the opposition vote in highly competitive, cosmopolitan counties by agreeing on a single candidate in each area.
Speaking at the meeting, DCP Deputy Leader Cleophas Malala said affiliate opposition parties would be required to settle on one candidate per county through agreed nomination processes. He said the party intends to select candidates through transparent and competitive nominations limited to registered members.
Mr Malala said zoning would ensure that only candidates with broad support emerge to face pro-government rivals. He urged aspirants to mobilise supporters to formally register with the party, noting that participation in nominations would depend on membership status.
The party has previously advanced similar proposals, particularly regarding Nairobi, but faced resistance from parties including Wiper, Jubilee, DAP-Kenya and the United Progressive Alliance. DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua has said such objections were based on misunderstanding, arguing that coalition arrangements are a common feature of Kenyan politics.
In Mombasa, DCP has identified Nyali MP Mohamed Ali as its preferred candidate for governor. He would challenge the incumbent, Abdulswamad Nassir of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Mr Ali was first elected to Parliament as an independent in 2017 and later won re-election on a United Democratic Alliance ticket in 2022. He is currently the only MP from Mombasa not affiliated with ODM.
The Kilifi retreat also resolved to strengthen party structures ahead of the elections. The DCP secretariat has been instructed to compile a full membership register, while plans are underway to open satellite offices in 15 counties within three months.
The party expects to conduct mass membership registration alongside the expansion, ahead of a formal national launch later in the year. Mr Gachagua has also been authorised to open talks with other political parties and leaders to widen the opposition coalition.
DCP leaders acknowledged the influence of ODM in coastal and urban areas. Mr Gachagua warned that any political alignment between ODM and the ruling United Democratic Alliance would blur distinctions between government and opposition, urging voters to consider alternative leadership.
On the presidential race, the party and its allies have agreed to delay naming a joint opposition candidate until April 2027. Mr Malala said the decision was intended to limit external interference and allow parties time to promote their candidates before settling on a single nominee.
The party also faces internal strains. Mr Malala criticised some MPs who have distanced themselves from DCP, accusing them of seeking direct nominations without competition. He further alleged that state agencies were attempting to destabilise the party by placing operatives close to Mr Gachagua.
