Former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizens (DCP) Party leader Rigathi Gachagua has called on Kenya’s middle class to play a more active role in shaping the country’s political and economic future as the 2027 General Elections draw closer.
Speaking during a church service in Kajiado County on Sunday, September 28, 2025, Gachagua urged professionals, salaried workers, and entrepreneurs not to remain passive but to participate fully in governance and national transformation.
“I want to make a passionate appeal to our professionals, the payslip holders, the middle class, the bourgeois, that you cannot stay at home and wait for the rest of Kenya to bring change,” Gachagua said.
He warned that political apathy from the middle class could have dire economic consequences, noting that this group forms the backbone of Kenya’s economy. “When you destroy the middle class, you destroy Kenya’s economy, because they are the drivers of our economy,” he added.
Gachagua stressed that good governance requires active citizen participation, especially from those with education, resources, and influence. He argued that the middle class, being direct beneficiaries of sound leadership, must set the pace for reforms rather than retreat into disillusionment.
Voter Registration Push
The former DP also used the platform to rally both the middle class and Gen Z to register as voters, linking their turnout to his broader push to build momentum for the Wantam Movement, aimed at unseating President William Ruto in 2027.
His remarks coincided with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) announcement that Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will resume on Monday, September 29, 2025.
The CVR exercise will enable eligible Kenyans to:
- Register as new voters
- Correct or update personal details
- Transfer their registration to new polling stations or constituencies
- Verify voter information
In its public notice, the IEBC encouraged citizens to register early and avoid last-minute rushes, except in areas where by-elections are currently underway.
A Call for Engagement
Gachagua’s message highlights growing concerns over political disengagement among Kenya’s middle class, many of whom have voiced frustration over high living costs and governance challenges. For him, however, the solution lies not in withdrawal but in active engagement to drive reform and safeguard Kenya’s democracy.
