Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended the popularity of his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), urging rival parties in the Mt Kenya region to improve their own campaigns.

• Gachagua dismissed accusations that DCP is undermining other political outfits, insisting democracy thrives on competition and he has not asked anyone to fold their parties.
• Key figures, including former Cabinet Secretaries Justin Muturi and Peter Munya, and former Senator Lenny Kivuti, rejected Gachagua's earlier call to dissolve their parties into DCP.
• The leaders emphasized that party decisions must be made by their own organs, not dictated by individual ambitions, and stressed the constitutional right of Kenyans to political choice.