Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) has signalled plans to work with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s The Equitable Party (TEP) as opposition parties continue negotiations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
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DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala said the party would not join the newly formed Ukombozi Alliance in its current structure. Instead, DCP intends to work with the Linda Mwananchi movement and Sifuna’s political vehicle before engaging other opposition parties in negotiations for a broader coalition.
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“We as DCP cannot join the Ukombozi Alliance. They should join together as TUA, while we in the DCP will join Sifuna. Then we will negotiate together for one coalition,” Malala said. The Standard
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Gachagua opens door to Sifuna partnership
Gachagua has previously indicated that his political camp is willing to consider different arrangements if they can unite the opposition ahead of the 2027 election.
The former Deputy President has even said he would be willing to serve as Sifuna’s running mate if political calculations eventually identify the Nairobi Senator as the opposition’s presidential candidate.
Gachagua has also said the arrangement could work in reverse, with Sifuna deputising him or another opposition leader, arguing that the opposition should settle on a ticket based on its eventual political arithmetic. Source
DCP’s demands and strategy
The latest position places emphasis on negotiation rather than an immediate merger. According to Malala, DCP wants the various opposition formations to first organise themselves before sitting down to negotiate a wider coalition.
DCP had previously been associated with discussions around the broader opposition alliance led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka. The party is now signalling that it wants to establish its own negotiating position while working with Sifuna’s camp.
The party has also been building its nationwide organisation. In July, Gachagua said DCP intended to field candidates across all 47 counties and was targeting seats at the presidential, gubernatorial, senatorial, National Assembly and county assembly levels.
Sifuna’s new political vehicle
Sifuna launched TEP on October 4, 2026, presenting it as his political vehicle ahead of the 2027 election. Gachagua subsequently congratulated the Nairobi Senator and urged him to move quickly to popularise the party and recruit candidates.
Gachagua also called on Sifuna’s supporters to join the new party and participate in building its political structure.
The development has added another layer to negotiations among opposition figures, with DCP, TEP and other parties weighing how to cooperate while retaining their respective political structures.
Political analysts quoted by The Standard offered different interpretations of the emerging alignment. Researcher Dr Luchetu Likaka linked the attraction to Sifuna to his youth and perceived appeal among younger voters, while Multimedia University professor Gitile Naituli described the negotiations primarily as a contest over political influence and power. These are analysts’ assessments, rather than established outcomes of the 2027 race.
With the opposition yet to settle on a joint presidential ticket, the DCP-TEP discussions are likely to remain part of the wider negotiations over coalition structures, candidate selection and the distribution of political roles ahead of the 2027 General Election.
