Gachagua’s Green Wave: How Ruto is Losing Allies to DCP as Support Base Crumbles

President William Ruto’s march towards a second term is increasingly looking like a political battle on two fronts, with the very allies who once helped propel him to power now slipping through his fingers and aligning with his fierce critic and opposition proncipal Rigathi Gachagua.

Over the last few weeks, Gachagua’s Wamuntyoro home has turned into a political shrine as a wave of defections that is threatening to redraw Kenya’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections unfolds, leaving the president counting his losses and Gachagua celebrating his blessings.

A spot check on Gachagua’s social media profile paints a clear picture of the steady haemorrhage of support that Ruto continues to face as what was once a formidable political machinery that delivered victory at the ballot is shaken by political realignments and new realities.

Friday, November 13, 2026, saw Gachagua welcome Members of the County Assembly who ditched UDA for DCP, with Gachagua noting that it “marks the beginning of our journey to wind up the UDA Party in Nyeri County and establish DCP as the party of choice.”

“At my Wamunyoro residence, I had the privilege of welcoming the entire Nyeri County Assembly, led by Speaker James Gichuhi, as they left UDA and joined DCP, the party of the moment," Gachagua stated on the same day that saw him welcome Subukia Member of Parliament Samuel Gachobe to the DCP Party after his departure from UDA.

Among the losses suffered by Ruto in recent days following the departure of high-profile politicians include Eric Muchangi Karemba (Runyenjes), Gabriel Kagombe (Gatundu South), Gathoni Wamuchomba (Githunguri), Njoroge Wainaina (Kieni) and Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu).

Others include Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja, Lamu Woman Representative Muthoni Marubu, Governor Irungu Kang’ata and his Kiambu counterpart Kimani Wamatangi who have all indicated that they will not defend their seats on UDA party tickets.

DCP politicians hold it that the ongoing wave of defections is a fulfillment of Gachagua’s prophesy that politicians, especially from the Mount Kenya region would abandon Ruto in their droves.

The defections feed into what DCP insiders refer to as the “Green Wave” with negotiations, political realignments and quiet engagements happening to ensure that the party sweeps all elective seats and denies Ruto the votes needed to secure a second term.

According to Gachagua’s allies and recent opinion polls, DCP is the most popular party in the region, and politicians are “listening to the ground” and aligning with this reality.

The party is also keen on attracting high-value candidates with politicians allied to Ruto among those targeted and under increasing pressure to switch sides and those who fail to yield to the pressure are presented as sellouts who betrayed the community in pursuit of personal interests.