NIS BEHIND FAKE POLLS, GACHAGUA CLAIMS

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed recent opinion polls, accusing the National Intelligence Service (NIS) of manufacturing surveys to reassure President William Ruto and his political supporters amid growing opposition pressure ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Speaking on Saturday, November 14, 2026, during the burial of his elder sister, Eunice Nyangari Gachagua, in Kieni Constituency, Nyeri County, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader urged supporters not to be distracted by what he described as fabricated opinion polls.

"Don't be distracted by fake opinion polls done by the National Intelligence Service. Those are for Kasongo to reassure his people back home," Gachagua said.

He maintained that the opposition remained firmly positioned ahead of the next election, urging supporters to remain calm, register as voters and safeguard their national identity cards in preparation for the electoral contests.

Gachagua described the political journey ahead as two major battles, with the first scheduled for March 2027 during party nominations, when Mt. Kenya voters would determine their representatives to defend the region's interests in Parliament.

He said the August 2027 General Election would provide the final opportunity to remove Ruto from power, urging supporters to prepare for both contests.

His remarks come two days after TIFA Research and Consulting released a national opinion poll highlighting divisions within the opposition, with 43 per cent of respondents identifying Gachagua as the politician most responsible for disagreements among opposition leaders.

The survey, conducted between October 26 and November 5, involved face-to-face interviews with 2,036 adults across all 47 counties and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.16 percentage points.

President Ruto and his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) administration followed at 15 per cent, while Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka were cited by seven and six per cent respectively. Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i attracted four per cent.

On presidential preferences, the same TIFA survey placed Ruto and Sifuna at 31 per cent each, followed by Kalonzo at nine per cent, Matiang'i at five per cent and Gachagua at four per cent.

Despite the reported disagreements, Gachagua reiterated the need for opposition leaders to rally behind a single presidential candidate to challenge Ruto in 2027.

The burial also provided a platform for opposition leaders to demonstrate their willingness to work together despite previous political differences.

Kalonzo declared that he would not join Ruto's government and was prepared to sacrifice his presidential ambitions if necessary to support a joint opposition candidate.

Sifuna, meanwhile, explained that he had put aside his past differences with Gachagua because defeating the current administration was more important than individual political disagreements.

Other leaders present included former Chief Justice David Maraga, Siaya Governor James Orengo, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa and People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua.

The show of unity comes after weeks of public disagreements among opposition principals over coalition leadership, grassroots mobilisation and the selection of a presidential flagbearer.

Gachagua had previously criticised Matiang'i and Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi, describing them as "lazy politicians" and "political passengers" whom he accused of relying on his grassroots mobilisation efforts.

He had also faced resistance after proposing that smaller opposition parties dissolve and join his DCP outfit, a suggestion rejected by several political leaders who argued that opposition unity should not be built around ultimatums.

The disagreements prompted Kalonzo to broker a meeting between Gachagua and Matiang'i at the latter's Karen residence on November 8, after which Gachagua described their differences as normal "sibling rivalry".

At the Nyeri burial, Gachagua also called for reconciliation among Mt. Kenya leaders who had previously opposed him during his impeachment, urging them to return to the community fold.

He further appealed to political leaders to keep his family out of political disputes, as he reflected on the family's losses over the years.

His latest remarks underline the growing political contest surrounding the opposition's efforts to consolidate support, even as competing opinion polls offer different assessments of the country's political direction ahead of the August 2027 elections.