Ndindi Nyoro calls for one opposition candidate to face Ruto in 2027

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has attempted to allay fears about potential electoral manipulation in the 2027 General Election, assuring Kenyans that President William Ruto cannot rig a national vote if voters stay at polling stations to protect their ballots. Speaking in Dallas, Texas, on September 26, 2026, Gachagua pointed out that alterations to Kenya’s electoral system, especially the tallying of votes at polling stations, have made it more difficult to tamper with election outcomes.

"Most of you are scared that Ruto will rig the elections," Gachagua stated, urging them to remain calm and "relax." "Nobody can steal a general election in Kenya, and this won't be the first one."

The DCP leader compared the current system to the previous one, where ballot boxes were moved from polling stations to district headquarters before being counted, creating opportunities for interference such as moving boxes and manipulating counts. "When elections were held at the polling station and the ballot boxes were transported to the headquarters of the district then to be counted, that is when rigging was taking place," he explained.

Gachagua argued that counting votes at polling stations allows voters and party representatives to monitor the process before results are sent to higher tallying centers.

He also cited Supreme Court rulings on the significance of polling-station results in Kenya’s electoral system. The Court has ruled that results declared at polling stations are final and cannot be altered, even when higher-level tallies are announced. Gachagua emphasized that the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision affirmed the finality of polling station results and reiterated this in a recent ruling on constituency returning officers’ announcements.

Gachagua highlighted the decisive role played by voters during the July 16, 2026, Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election. He encouraged Kenyans to emulate the vigilant behavior observed at Ol Kalou, urging them to remain at polling stations until voting is completed and results are announced. In the by-election, DCP candidate Sammy Kamau Ngotho emerged victorious, marking DCP’s first parliamentary seat, which Gachagua attributed to the effective protection of votes at the polling stations.

The DCP leader's comments came as political parties and candidates gear up for the 2027 General Election, with questions of electoral integrity and vote security prominently featured in the political discourse.