Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says he has a back up plan in place should courts bar him from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
During a TV interview on Wednesday night, Gachagua said he remains optimistic about the outcome of his court case. He added that he has also identified a pool of young leaders who can carry the Mt Kenya region’s presidential bid if he is disqualified.
Gachagua dismissed claims that the legal challenges against him could leave the region without a candidate for the country’s top seat.
Gachagua said some politicians now expect his disqualification to weaken the region politically.
“There are people who have been saying the mountain will not have a presidential candidate. Others think Gachagua can be locked out by the courts,” he said.
He alleged that some members of parliament from the region want him excluded because they believe it would improve their own chances at the ballot box.
“There are some MPs from the region who want me barred because they think it will make it easier for them to get elected. I have bad news for them,” he said.
18 Leaders Named as Successors
Gachagua said he has already invested time mentoring a new generation of leaders and expects them to provide effective national leadership if called upon.
“In the unfortunate event that I am barred from ever running, I have men and women ready to run. The community and I will agree on one candidate,” he said.
He said he has identified 18 young leaders whom he believes can vie for either the presidency or the deputy presidency.
“I have young men and women who have come of age. They are competent, capable, articulate and energetic enough to be president or deputy president,” he said.
Among those he named were Nyandarua Senator John Methu, Kiambu Senator Karung’o Thang’wa, and Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina. Gachagua said these leaders, along with others he did not name, could perform better than him in a national contest because of their age and broader appeal.
“Those young people are more lethal than Gachagua. In fact, one of them would have a better showing than me because they are youthful, have a lot of energy, and the country is craving youthful leadership,” he said.
Gachagua said his priority has been to ensure the Mt Kenya region never again enters an election cycle without clear political leadership. He said he is satisfied with the mentorship work he has done and the leadership structure he has put in place.
“I am a very happy leader because through my mentorship, my community will never be exposed again,” he said. “Even if anything happened to me, I have established a clear leadership structure. The community will never get confused. If I’m not there, they will know who to pick.”
