Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has reignited speculation over Rigathi Gachagua’s political plans in the United States, days after the former deputy president announced an extended trip to the country.
Kuria, in remarks directed at Gachagua, suggested that the former deputy president’s journey could involve more than his publicly stated plans to meet Kenyans in the diaspora and reflect on the political direction of Mt Kenya.
Gachagua announced on Sunday that he would travel to the US on Wednesday, August 26, accompanied by his wife, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi. He said he intended to stay there for some time and make important decisions away from what he described as undue political influence.
“I want to make some decisions without undue influence so that I make the right decisions,” Gachagua said while speaking at a church service in Karatina, Nyeri County.
The former deputy president also said the trip would provide an opportunity to interact with Americans and Kenyans living in the US, while indicating that his activities there would form part of his broader political planning ahead of the 2027 General Election.
It is this explanation that Kuria seized on in his latest remarks.
“On Sunday, 9th August 2026, I pre-warned Jeff Koinange and the world the real reason and timing of Rigathi Gachagua's trip to the USA,” Kuria said.
He claimed Gachagua had now confirmed that there were things he intended to do in the US away from some of his political associates, whom Kuria accused of exerting undue influence on him.
Kuria, however, did not provide evidence detailing the specific activities he believes Gachagua will undertake during the trip.
The former CS then introduced a second claim, this time concerning the selection of candidates under Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).
Kuria alleged that aspiring politicians seeking DCP tickets in the Mt Kenya region would have to demonstrate financial capacity, claiming that monetary contributions had become an important consideration in the political process.
He cited Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata and Nyandarua politician Moses Kiarie Badilisha, alleging that Kang’ata had contributed Ksh2 million while praising Badilisha for an alleged Ksh50 million contribution.
Kuria did not provide documentary evidence establishing that the DCP has set such a monetary requirement for aspirants. The claims therefore remain allegations and should not be treated as an official party position.
He nevertheless argued that moving some political engagements to the US would provide a test of the seriousness and financial capacity of prospective candidates.
“The only way to show joking aspirants this is not a joking matter is to move the delivery point to the USA,” Kuria said.
The remarks come as Gachagua intensifies his political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections. Before his US trip, he has been conducting consultations from his Wamunyoro home and travelling across parts of Mt Kenya as he seeks to consolidate support for the DCP.
Gachagua has said his Wamunyoro consultations, which lasted 56 days, were aimed at listening to Kenyans and determining the political direction of the country. He is expected to announce the outcome of the consultations on Monday, August 24.
The US trip therefore comes at a politically significant moment, with Gachagua seeking to strengthen his opposition credentials while building support ahead of 2027.
Kuria’s intervention has added another layer to the trip, particularly after he previously suggested that Gachagua and President William Ruto could be in the US around the same period in September, fuelling speculation of a possible political encounter. Kuria offered no evidence that such a meeting had been arranged.
For now, Gachagua has publicly framed the US visit as an opportunity for diaspora engagement and political planning, while Kuria has suggested that more significant political activity could unfold behind the scenes.