Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed that the United Opposition once had a central secretariat but was forced to dismantle it after its principals raised concerns that the structure had been infiltrated.
Gachagua said the decision to operate without a common secretariat was therefore intentional and not evidence that the opposition was poorly organised, as suggested by former United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi.
Speaking to the Kenyan community in Portland, Oregon, United States, on Friday, September 11, 2026, Gachagua said the opposition principals had chosen to work through their individual party structures as they prepare to settle on a joint presidential candidate for the 2027 General Election.
“Dr Mukhisa Kituyi recently said on Citizen that we have not had a secretariat and, therefore, that it is not a very good sign that we are ready to remove Ruto. Probably, it is only that he was not well briefed. We don’t have a secretariat, not because it is not necessary or because we are disorganised. No, it is strategic.”
The Democratic Congress Party (DCP) leader said the opposition had initially set up a secretariat which was expected to be led by Kituyi and had started functioning well.
However, he said the arrangement was later abandoned after members became concerned that some people associated with the structure could have links to President William Ruto’s side.
Gachagua claimed the concerns first became clear during one of the opposition principals’ routine meetings in 2025. He said one of the principals arrived with two people who were suspected by members of the group to be working with Ruto.
The former deputy president said the situation became more worrying after details discussed during a meeting were leaked, prompting the principals to question whether their secretariat was secure.
“A secretariat is the weakest link in the unity of the opposition because the people in the secretariat may not be as strong as we are. So, we had started with a secretariat, and things were going on very well.”
Why the secretariat was disbanded
Gachagua said the opposition leaders eventually agreed that maintaining a central secretariat could expose their plans and discussions to people who might compromise their political strategy.
He argued that the people working within such an office could be vulnerable to pressure or influence and could therefore become a weak point for the opposition.
The principals consequently resolved to close the secretariat and allow each party to continue operating through its own structures.
Gachagua said this arrangement will remain until the opposition leaders agree on one candidate who will carry their joint ticket in the 2027 presidential contest.
He maintained that the lack of a central office should not be viewed as a failure by the opposition to organise itself, but as a measure intended to protect the coalition’s internal plans.
Gachagua’s explanation comes days after Kituyi criticised the United Opposition for lacking a central command structure, arguing that parties within the alliance were still largely operating independently.
Kituyi also disclosed that he had spent his own money to establish and equip an office for the position he expected to occupy within the opposition. However, he said the role largely remained on paper.
The former UNCTAD secretary-general has since left the United Opposition and joined the Linda Mwananchi movement led by Edwin Sifuna.
Gachagua’s remarks now offer a different explanation for the collapse of the secretariat, linking its disbandment to fears of infiltration rather than disagreements over whether the opposition needed a central administrative structure.