By Nyanza Wire 
Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) is on the brink of a humiliating debut in the July 16 Ol Kalou by-election, and the impeached former Deputy President is already rewriting the script to manage expectations.
For months, Gachagua has positioned DCP as the undisputed dominant force in Mt Kenya, claiming no other party could win in “his backyard.” He poured resources into the constituency, nominated Sammy Kamau Ngotho as the DCP candidate, and presented the poll as a decisive referendum on his influence and Ruto’s popularity in the region.
Now, sensing a tough contest against UDA’s Samuel Muchina Nyaga amid reports of voter bribery, campaign violence, and strong incumbent structures, Gachagua has shifted gears. He has downplayed the significance of the by-election, warned Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata against “bringing confusion” to Ol Kalou with the Linda Mwananchi team, and stayed away from the constituency citing intelligence of planned violence. He has also launched fierce attacks on the IEBC, accusing it of bias and threatening to postpone the poll to save the ruling party from defeat.
This is classic Gachagua loud when confident, evasive when challenged. The same man who jetted to the UK in May to beg the diaspora for campaign funds for his Ol Kalou candidate is now crying that the government has pumped KSh1 billion into the constituency. The hypocrisy is staggering.
DCP was never built on a coherent national vision or grassroots organisation. It was conceived as a personal vehicle to soothe Gachagua’s bruised ego after his impeachment and to maintain his self proclaimed status as Mt Kenya kingpin. With no institutional depth, no clear policy alternative, and a leadership style that alienates potential allies, the party risks becoming another short-lived, one man outfit destined for the graveyard of Kenyan political experiments.
The looming outcome in Ol Kalou will not just test DCP it will expose the emptiness of Gachagua’s claims of regional dominance. A man who brags about owning the mountain but runs for cover or shifts goalposts the moment real competition arises has no business positioning himself as its undisputed leader.
Mt Kenya voters deserve better than being used as pawns in one man’s ego driven project. The by-election is not about punishing Ruto for Gachagua’s impeachment. It is about choosing a representative who will serve Ol Kalou’s interests not settle one politician’s personal scores.