Category: Politics

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has turned to veteran politician Charity Ngilu for lessons from Kenya’s historic 2002 opposition alliance, signalling his intention to borrow from the political strategy that ended KANU’s decades-long hold on power.

In a statement following their meeting at his Wamunyoro residence on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Gachagua described Ngilu as the “Iron Lady of Kenyan politics” and credited her with playing a central role in the formation of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), which swept former President Mwai Kibaki to power in the 2002 General Election.

Gachagua said he had benefited from Ngilu’s experience as she took him through how the coalition was crafted and implemented, including the negotiations, strategy and political calculations that brought different opposition groups together.

He said the former Kitui Governor also shared lessons on what opposition leaders needed to do to challenge corruption and impunity and steer the country towards prosperity.

“Today at our Wamunyoro residence, I met the Iron Lady of Kenyan politics, Hon. Charity Ngilu. Hon. Ngilu was the architect of the NARC dream and, together with the late President Mwai Kibaki and Kijana Wamalwa, crafted a winning strategy that brought the KANU era to an end,” Gachagua stated.

“This morning, I benefited greatly from Hon. Ngilu’s wisdom as she took me through how NARC was crafted and implemented. The lessons I have learnt will be very instrumental. I assure the Kenyan people that I am more knowledgeable, and I can clearly see light at the end of the tunnel.”

The former Deputy President framed the discussions around the possibility of a repeat of the political realignment that preceded the 2002 elections, declaring that Kenya was approaching another defining political moment.

“We have a 2002 moment, and our promise is that we shall identify one presidential candidate who will win by a landslide,” he added.

Gachagua’s reference to 2002 recalls one of the most consequential political moments in Kenya’s multiparty history.

After years of opposition fragmentation, several political formations began negotiations to consolidate their support ahead of the December 2002 General Election.

In September 2002, Kibaki’s Democratic Party joined Kijana Wamalwa’s FORD-Kenya and Ngilu’s Social Democratic Party to form the National Alliance of Kenya (NAK), with Kibaki selected as its presidential candidate.

The alliance later joined forces with Raila Odinga’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which had broken away from KANU following divisions over former President Daniel Arap Moi’s preferred successor, Uhuru Kenyatta.

The expanded coalition became the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), bringing together politicians who had previously competed against one another.

At a major rally at Nairobi’s Uhuru Park, Raila famously declared “Kibaki Tosha”, endorsing Kibaki as the opposition’s joint presidential candidate.

The strategy delivered a decisive result in the December 2002 elections. Kibaki won approximately 62 per cent of the presidential vote against Kenyatta’s 31 per cent, while NARC secured 125 of the 210 elected parliamentary seats.

The victory ended KANU’s 24-year rule under Moi and ushered in a new administration led by Kibaki.

However, the coalition’s unity would later come under strain. Disagreements over the implementation of pre-election power-sharing arrangements, Cabinet appointments and constitutional reforms exposed divisions between its constituent groups.

The death of Wamalwa in 2003 further weakened the alliance, while political disagreements eventually contributed to the breakdown of the NARC arrangement.

Gachagua’s meeting with Ngilu comes as opposition leaders intensify consultations on how to challenge President William Ruto in the August 10, 2027 General Election.

The former Deputy President has repeatedly called for opposition parties and leaders to agree on one presidential candidate rather than split their support among competing aspirants.

He has been involved in a series of high-profile consultations at his Wamunyoro residence, including meetings with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka.

During a meeting with Sifuna and leaders associated with the Linda Mwananchi movement on October 20, Gachagua said the discussions were aimed at building cooperation between the two political formations.

The talks explored the possibility of a joint presidential ticket and an agreement to support whoever eventually emerges as the opposition’s flagbearer.

Gachagua has also indicated that he would be willing to support Sifuna, including deputising him, if political calculations establish that the Nairobi Senator is best placed to lead the opposition into the election.

On October 26, Kalonzo also visited Gachagua at Wamunyoro, with the two leaders reiterating the need for opposition unity and a single presidential candidate.

Despite the public calls for unity, the opposition continues to grapple with competing political ambitions and disagreements over how the coalition should be structured.

On Monday, November 2, Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi criticised Gachagua, accusing him of political bullying and double-speak that could undermine efforts to build a united opposition.

Muturi questioned whether some of the political negotiations were prioritising control of parliamentary and county seats over the broader objective of agreeing on a presidential candidate.

He argued that no individual or political community could claim ownership of the opposition, warning that a national presidential campaign required consensus and cooperation across regional and political boundaries.

Other opposition figures have also floated possible presidential contenders. DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala, for instance, recently suggested that Sifuna could fly the opposition’s presidential flag, with an experienced politician serving as his running mate.

Ngilu is among the veteran politicians who played prominent roles in Kenya’s multiparty political era.

She contested the presidency in the 1997 General Election on a Social Democratic Party ticket, becoming one of the first women to run for the country’s highest office.

Her political experience also includes serving as Kitui Central MP, Cabinet Secretary for Water and Irrigation, and later Governor of Kitui County.

Her involvement in the political realignments that produced NARC gives her first-hand experience of the negotiations and compromises required to unite parties behind a common presidential candidate.

For Gachagua, the engagement appears to be part of a broader effort to understand how the opposition can turn its current consultations into a coordinated political movement ahead of 2027.

Residents of Kasemeni village in Lunga Lunga, Kwale County, have threatened to return title deeds issued to them by President William Ruto a month ago, claiming the documents contain errors that undermine their land ownership rights.

The residents say the measurements recorded on the title deeds are smaller than the actual parcels of land they have occupied for years. They are now demanding that the government review the documents and conduct fresh surveys to reflect the correct sizes of their land.

Speaking to the media on Monday, October 2,2026 the residents said they were dissatisfied with the discrepancies and wanted the government to correct the documents before they could accept them.

John Kasim, a resident of Lunga Lunga, said some of the information on the title deeds was confusing, particularly the section suggesting that the documents would only be completed after payment of a fee, despite residents being told that the process had already been paid for.

“We do not understand these title deeds. They are not acceptable to us because the title itself says it will be completed only when the fee is paid, yet we were told that it had already been paid,” Kasim said.

He added that the residents were unwilling to keep documents whose details they could not fully understand.

Moses Makelele, a resident of Lunga Lunga said some residents had attempted to use the title deeds to seek loans from banks but were reportedly informed that the documents had no value for that purpose.

He said the outcome had dashed their hopes of using the title deeds to access credit and improve their livelihoods.

The residents argue that the documents should give them secure ownership and enable them to use their land as collateral where applicable.

Julius Kaema said the residents had decided to return the title deeds through their area chief, Mwenyasi, for onward submission to the Deputy County Commissioner in Lunga Lunga, kwale county.

“We are returning these title deeds to where they came from so that they can be corrected and we can get our rights,” Kaema said.

He urged the government to prioritise residents’ interests and ensure the land measurements are accurate before issuing corrected documents.

The residents insist they do not want additional land but want the sizes recorded on their title deeds to reflect the land they actually own.

They are now calling on the relevant government agencies to investigate the alleged discrepancies, conduct fresh measurements and issue corrected title deeds that accurately reflect their parcels.

The Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM) has raised alarm following the arrest of Trans Nzoia County Assembly Deputy Speaker Obed Mwale, accusing security officers of targeting its leaders in what it describes as politically motivated intimidation.

In a statement issued by its Head of Communication, Pauline Njoroge, on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the party said armed police officers picked up Mwale in Kitale on Monday, November 2, before transferring him to Kapenguria Police Station in neighbouring West Pokot County.

Mwale, who represents Matisi Ward in the Trans Nzoia County Assembly, is accused by police of funding criminal activities and organising groups involved in disrupting political activities in the county, according to the statement.

Linda Mwananchi dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, arguing that the arrest was intended to intimidate and silence the MCA because of his political association and opposition activities.

“We strongly condemn the arrest of Trans Nzoia County Assembly Deputy Speaker, Matisi Ward MCA and Linda Mwananchi Senate aspirant for Trans Nzoia County, Hon. Obed Mwale, who was picked up by armed police officers in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, yesterday and later produced at Kapenguria Police Station in West Pokot County,” Linda Mwananchi Movement stated.

“According to the police, he is accused of funding criminal activities and organising goons. We reject these allegations as politically motivated and intended to intimidate and silence Obed, a very popular candidate who is challenging UDA’s Allan Chesang.”

The movement demanded his immediate release, insisting that its leaders should not be subjected to harassment for expressing their political views or working with Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.

It further claimed that Mwale’s arrest was part of a growing pattern of intimidation targeting leaders associated with Linda Mwananchi in the county.

The arrest comes against the backdrop of political tension in Kitale following an incident involving President William Ruto’s motorcade and a convoy carrying Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and members of the Linda Mwananchi movement on October 16.

Ruto had been in Kitale to preside over the launch of development projects when his motorcade and Sifuna’s convoy encountered each other near the Kitale flyover.

After the President left the area, Sifuna and Governor Natembeya addressed supporters before police officers moved in and dispersed the gathering using tear gas.

The National Police Service subsequently confirmed that two police officers had been injured and two government vehicles damaged during the confrontation.

In a statement issued after the incident, police said investigations had been launched to establish the circumstances surrounding the violence and identify those responsible.

The police also warned that individuals found engaging in violence, sponsoring criminal gangs, inciting supporters or disrupting lawful gatherings would face action in accordance with the law. However, the NPS statement did not name Mwale or identify the politicians it was investigating.

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya also confirmed Mwale’s detention, saying the MCA was being held at Kapenguria Police Station ahead of an expected court appearance.

Natembeya linked the accusations against Mwale to the October 16 incident, including an alleged plan to obstruct the President’s motorcade during his Kitale visit.

The governor also said the MCA faced accusations of sponsoring groups involved in disrupting Kenya Kwanza political rallies in Trans Nzoia.

Mwale’s arrest comes amid an increasingly public political confrontation between Natembeya and the national government, particularly President Ruto’s administration.

The governor has been vocal in criticising the government, with disagreements emerging over development projects, political influence in the county and the withdrawal of his security detail.

In October, Linda Mwananchi challenged the Council of Governors to speak out over what it described as threats and intimidation facing Natembeya following changes to his security arrangements.

The dispute has also involved disagreements over the Ksh821 million Masinde Muliro Market project in Kitale, with competing claims over its implementation and ownership.

Linda Mwananchi has increasingly positioned itself as a political force ahead of the 2027 General Election. The movement recently unveiled a proposed national secretariat, with Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi named as its proposed chairperson and Natembeya designated to lead its presidential campaign structure.

Despite the arrest, the movement vowed not to abandon its political activities, saying it would continue mobilising supporters and challenging the government.

In her statement, Njoroge said the movement would soldier on in its quest to remove President Ruto from office, reclaim what it considers citizens’ rights and freedoms, and restore the rule of law.

The movement demanded justice for Mwale and called for his immediate release, maintaining that political differences should not be used to justify intimidation or unlawful arrests.