The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), associated with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, has strongly condemned Jubilee Party politician Jeremiah Kioni for alleging that the DCP leadership listens to “the spirits of the dead” rather than the people.
Peter Mwathi, the DCP Deputy National Chairman in charge of strategy, expressed shock on Thursday, questioning the intent behind Kioni’s remarks. An agitated Mwathi demanded to know Kioni’s agenda in attacking fellow opposition leaders who aim to form Kenya’s next government.
“We want to know why he was speaking ill of a slogan—Skiza Wakenya—that is already formally registered to our party,” Mwathi stated. “He clearly has an agenda, and we intend to find out what it is.”
The controversy stems from comments made by Kioni in Nakuru on Wednesday. Before inviting Jubilee presidential candidate Dr. Fred Matiang’i to speak, Kioni claimed that while Jubilee listens to “the ground,” another entity was instead consulting the spirits of the dead. Mwathi alleged that Kioni was indirectly targeting the DCP, as no other party uses that specific slogan.
“We did not take those sentiments lightly, especially coming from Kioni,” Mwathi said. “We will not stop asking questions until we are told why he is attacking our party.”
The Deputy National Chairman appealed to former President Uhuru Kenyatta (the Jubilee Party leader) and Dr. Matiang’i to caution Kioni against attacking allies whose primary goal is to defeat President William Ruto’s administration in the 2027 general election.
Mwathi further suggested that Kioni might be a “mole” for the current government, alleging that the politician visits the state at night while posing as an opposition member during the day.
Addressing broader political shifts, Mwathi urged politicians who have been dismissed from their parties to join the DCP, emphasizing that it is a national party. He also expressed support for Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, urging him to remain firm. Mwathi characterized the removal of politicians from their parties as “outdated politics” from a bygone era.
“We have grown as a country; we must respect diverse opinions because democracy allows for them,” Mwathi said, adding that Sifuna’s recent challenges within his party hierarchy were born out of fear.
Turning to local politics, Mwathi—who is eyeing the Limuru parliamentary seat—urged residents to support his 2027 bid. His supporters described him as an approachable, development-minded leader. Stephen Njenga, a local resident, attributed Mwathi’s previous loss to the “UDA euphoria” and claimed the constituency is ready for his return.
“Mwathi is intelligent and speaks his mind,” Njenga said. “His style of politics and his ability to connect with residents will see him win the seat again.”
