Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is not letting impeachment—or political snubs—slow him down, he's a man on a mission to rise from the ashes and show his former boss dust.

In a bold interview at a local media station, the former Deputy president officially declared he will be on the ballot for Kenya’s 2027 presidential election, setting the stage for a crowded and highly competitive race.

Tasked to explain about his eligibility following his 2024 impeachment, Gachagua was quick to set the record straight.

According to him, Kenyan law allows candidates to vie for office as long as their legal cases are unresolved and have not yet reached the Supreme Court.

“Before my case gets to the Supreme Court, I will vie for the presidential seat and I will win with very many votes,” he said confidently, pointing to examples like Sirisia MP John Waluke, who ran and won an election while his appeal was pending.

“The law says that if you have not exhausted the legal mechanisms, you are free to vie for any office. My case hasn’t even started yet.” Gachagua emphasized.

His remarks seem aimed at silencing critics and reenergizing his base, even as questions swirl around the pace and direction of his court proceedings.

Gachagua’s announcement throws another heavyweight into an already packed ring. Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-K boss Eugene Wamalwa, PLP’s Martha Karua, and former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i have all declared their own presidential ambitions.

Still, Gachagua insists that competition among allies is healthy—and temporary.

“Everyone wants the presidential seat… and we will keep on campaigning. At the end, we will discuss and decide who will be,” he said.

He hinted at a collaborative “70+1” winning formula, where all opposition players will eventually rally behind the strongest contender. “We will release a joint statement, committing ourselves to the people of Kenya,” Gachagua promised, signaling a potential realignment of forces.

Since his impeachment, the former Deputy President has turned to a huge critic of President Ruto's leadership.

On Thursday, he blasted the Kenya Kwanza administration for neglecting the plight of workers, accusing the government of subjecting Kenyans to untold suffering and financial hardship.

In his message on Labour Day, Gachagua acknowledged the struggles faced by many workers, citing high living costs and reduced earnings.

“We know no Kenyan worker is happy,” Gachagua said, accusing the government of depleting workers’ payslips through over-taxation and mismanagement, while engaging in extravagant travel and political mobilisation at the expense of ordinary citizens.

"As we mark the 60th Labour Day celebration, the story of the Kenyan worker is the same; unspeakable pain, anguish, and utter frustration. The payslip has been raided for uncouth cause, cost of living skyrockets unbearably and zero money in circulation as the powers that be trot the globe using public resources while at home taxpayers money is used to bribe leaders and the public to attend public gatherings," he noted.

Despite the grim picture, the ex-DP sought to offer hope to Kenyan workers, assuring them that change was on the way.

“My message to the Kenyan workers as we mark Labour Day is that as they struggle to make ends meet, they should take comfort that this situation is not permanent,” he said.

He further pledged to continue fighting for economic reforms aimed at restoring financial dignity to the working class.

“I assure you that we are a team of patriotic men and women not sleeping, working on strategies to do away with misery, pain, and indignation; we shall restore the dignity of the payslip. God willing, we shall get there,” he said.