Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has officially launched his new party, Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP). Gachagua’s party identity was made known to the public at an event held in Nairobi’s Lavington area on Thursday morning.

According to Gachagua, the party’s slogan will be “Sikiza Wakenya” (listen to Kenyans), reiterating that it will be people-centered and uphold the voice of Kenyans.

“We finally have a political party. Our new party is the Democracy for the Citizens Party, and our party slogan is Sikiza Wakenya, but Kenyans can interchange it with Sikiza Ground,” Gachagua said.

He continued, “This party that we have unveiled today (DCP) revolves around listening to the people of Kenya because they are intelligent, they know what they want, and how they want to be led.”

Among Gachagua’s allies appointed to the party’s leadership structure are former UDA Party Secretary General Cleophas Malala, who will now serve as DCP’s Interim Deputy Party Leader, and Hezron Obanga, the Interim Secretary General.

Others include former Laikipia Woman Representative Cate Waruguru, who will now be the National Women Leader, and former Starehe Member of Parliament Maina Kamanda, appointed as National Chairperson of the Council of Eminent Persons.

Regarding the party’s primaries in preparation for the upcoming general elections, Gachagua insisted that no leader will be given a direct party ticket, including his closest allies.

“Let me clarify for the avoidance of doubt: this party has no favourite candidate. This party has no provision for direct nomination. This party believes in ‘let the people decide’,” Gachagua said.

“I have many leaders who have stood with me in very difficult times, who have walked with me in my journey. But I want to confirm that as close as they are to me, much as they have stood with me, none of them is entitled to a direct nomination. So, I want to encourage everybody to be prepared to face each other in the party primaries,” Gachagua added.

Gachagua, who parted ways with President Ruto following a bitter fallout that led to his impeachment, has turned into Kenya Kwanza’s harshest critic. He has, on several occasions, vowed to make the UDA party less popular in the Mt. Kenya region.

He has also joined forces with other opposition leaders, including Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, Fred Matiang’i, and Eugene Wamalwa, with the sole intention of rendering President Ruto a one-term president.