Revealed: Why Gachagua is at ‘war’ with Muturi, Kivuti and Munya

By Newsflash Writer

Newsflash has established the reasons behind the escalating political “war” between Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua and his Mt Kenya East allies; Democratic Party (DP) leader Justin Muturi, Party of National Unity (PNU) leader Peter Munya and Devolution Empowerment Party(DEP) leader Lenny Kivuti.

Although the public fallout was triggered by Gachagua’s call for allied parties to dissolve and join DCP, interviews with party insiders indicate the standoff is rooted in deeper disagreements over grassroots mobilisation, electoral strategy and the future direction of the United Opposition ahead of the 2027 General Election.

While the three leaders publicly dismissed the proposal as an attempt to “bulldoze” them into political submission, the DCP insiders revealed that the dispute runs much deeper than the fate of individual political parties.

At the centre of the fallout is a growing belief within Gachagua’s camp that some of his allies have failed to build viable grassroots political machinery, particularly in the Mt Kenya East region.

The new battleground

Behind the public exchanges lies a strategic disagreement over what it takes to challenge President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration ahead of the 2027 General Election.

According to Kanyenya-ini Ward MCA Grace Nduta, popularly known as Grace City and regarded as one of Gachagua’s trusted insiders, the opposition cannot afford leaders who rely on political goodwill without investing in grassroots mobilisation.

Nduta argues that Muturi and Kivuti, despite being seasoned politicians, failed to aggressively popularise their respective parties in Embu County, leaving their organisations weak during crucial by-elections.

PNU leader Peter Munya (centre), DP leader Justin Muturi (left) and DEP leader Lenny Kivuti in a presser on August 4, 2026. Photo/Courtesy

“The truth is our counterparts, particularly Muturi and Kivuti, are not doing enough grassroots popularisation of their parties,” she said.

Within DCP, many point to the November 25, 2025 Mbeere North parliamentary by-election as the first warning sign.

In that contest, Gachagua persuaded his party’s candidate Duncan Mbui to step aside in favour of DP candidate Newton Karish in an attempt to unite the opposition vote.

Mbui later vied on a Chama Cha Kazi (CCK) ticket, emerging third.

However, the strategy failed spectacularly as UDA candidate Leonard Wamuthende comfortably won the seat.

For DCP strategists, the defeat was not merely an electoral setback but evidence that political endorsements alone cannot substitute for active grassroots organisation.

Their frustrations reportedly deepened three months later during the Evurore Ward by-election, held on February 26, 2026.

Despite the ward being located within Muturi’s political backyard, DP-backed candidate Albert Muchira Kigoro secured only 1,940 votes against UDA’s Duncan Muratia, who garnered 7,853 votes.

To Gachagua’s allies, the outcome reinforced the perception that DP’s structures on the ground had significantly weakened.

Nduta further claimed that communication breakdowns worsened the situation during the Mbeere North campaigns.

She alleged that while opposition campaign teams were operating in Kivuti’s home area, the MBUS leader was largely unreachable even when DP officials attempted to contact him.

Such claims have fuelled growing resentment within DCP, where some officials believe the opposition’s electoral losses were avoidable.

No more political concessions

Those experiences appear to have fundamentally changed Gachagua’s electoral strategy.

According to senior DCP insiders, the party now believes it made a costly political sacrifice by withdrawing its own candidate in Mbeere North.

“We shall not repeat that mistake,” one senior DCP handler told Newsflash.

Instead of negotiating electoral zones among opposition parties, DCP is now preparing to field candidates across all Mt Kenya counties, including Embu, Meru and Tharaka Nithi — areas traditionally associated with DP, PNU and MBUS.

The shift represents a significant departure from previous opposition arrangements, where parties occasionally ceded seats to coalition partners in the interest of presenting a united front.

DCP officials cite the July 2026 Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election as proof that their new approach works.

Unlike the Embu campaigns, party insiders say the Nyandarua contest benefited from highly visible campaign leadership led by Senator John Methu and Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia, both of whom maintained constant engagement with local voters and campaign teams.

The DCP candidate beat the UDA candidate by over 30,000 votes.

According to DCP strategists, that accessibility translated into stronger grassroots mobilisation, ultimately delivering a resounding victory for the party.

“The reason why DCP got a resounding victory in Ol Kalou is the nature of strong grassroots connection the two campaign leaders had with the locals — something which lacked with Muturi and Kivuti. From now on, we don’t want to repeat that mistake. DCP will field candidates across all Mt Kenya counties,” the insider said.