The Democratic Citizens Party (DCP) Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala has strongly dismissed claims by Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is secretly collaborating with President William Ruto.
Speaking passionately in Malava on Tuesday during a campaign rally for DCP candidate Edgar Busieka ahead of the November 27th by-election, Malala described Kioni’s assertions as nothing more than “state-sponsored tactics” meant to divide the opposition and undermine its criticisms of government.
“I have seen there are people like Kioni who have embarked on diversionary tactics. These are people sent with specific instructions to divide the United Opposition,” Malala said.
“If you are in the opposition and you cannot say a ‘wantam’ slogan, then you are a mole. Kioni should stop sowing confusion, claiming that Riggy G is a Ruto project. Can Gachagua really be with Ruto? Under no circumstances can we work with Ruto.”
Malala also accused Kioni of hypocrisy, noting that the Jubilee official has rarely, if ever, taken a firm stand against the Kenya Kwanza administration. “Kioni has never spoken against this government, yet he claims to be in the opposition. That alone tells you who he really serves,” Malala charged.
The remarks were a direct rebuttal to Kioni’s weekend allegations. Kioni, a close ally of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, had claimed that Gachagua held a clandestine meeting in Narok County with 15 leaders, including clergy members. According to Kioni, the meeting revolved around the controversial decision by DCP to deny Joshua Ole Kaputa a party ticket for the Narok Town Ward by-election, with promises that Kaputa would later be rewarded with a nomination courtesy of a Gachagua-Ruto pact.
Beyond the accusations, Kioni warned that the opposition risks repeating past mistakes as it prepares for the 2027 general elections. He cautioned that leaving the decision of selecting a joint presidential candidate to a small circle of leaders could weaken their chances and give Ruto an “easy path to a second term.”
The surging war of words highlights the deep mistrust and divisions within the opposition. Analysts warn that the rifts if unresolved could potentially undermine the coalition’s credibility and erode its electoral strength. With the November by-election approaching and 2027 fast looming, the battle between Malala and Kioni has laid bare the precarious state of opposition unity.
For now, the Gachagua-Ruto secret deal claims remain unverified, but they have sparked fresh political intrigue and cast doubt over the opposition’s ability to present a united front in the run-up to the next general election.
