Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is quickly carving out a new identity as the king of political catchphrases after his latest slogan, "Hi Cousins!" took the internet by storm.
Barely a month after his now-viral "Wantam" moment, Gachagua is back with another buzzworthy line.
During a political rally in Ukambani, he greeted the charged crowd with a cheerful "Hi Cousins!", a phrase that instantly went viral and is now dominating Kenyan social media timelines.
In his speech, Gachagua rallied the audience with a message of unity, claiming kinship among several communities.
"Macuzoo mko? Sisi na Wakamba, Waita, Wataveta, Mijikenda, we are one family. Sisi ni cousins," he said to the excited crowd. "And I want to tell the people of Kasongo, I saw you shouting that I'm clinging to Kalonzo. You even want to interfere in family matters."
Gachagua, who was addressing supporters on Saturday, used the "cousins" metaphor to push for a united political front aimed at unseating President William Ruto in the 2027 elections. He emphasized shared ethnic ties between Kikuyus, Kambas, Taitas, and the Mijikenda as the foundation for political unity.
"President Ruto did not unite with Raila to unite Kenya, he sought Raila to stabilize his government. I've been sent by the Mt. Kenya people to find our kin. We are one family. We are cousins," he added.
The lighthearted yet politically loaded phrase has since exploded across social media platforms, with Kenyans creating memes, parody videos, and remixing the greeting into pop culture references.
Gachagua has been increasingly vocal in his opposition to the Kenya Kwanza administration following his ouster from the Deputy President's office.
He has aligned himself with other opposition figures, including Kalonzo Musyoka, Fred Matiang'i, and Eugene Wamalwa, to push back against the current regime.
Earlier this year, Gachagua launched the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).
However, its grand debut hit a snag after the government blocked the planned launch event at the Kasarani Indoor Arena. Despite having paid Ksh 3.7 million for the venue, Sports Kenya revoked the permit, citing preparations for the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) as the reason.
DCP officials, including Deputy Leader Cleophas Malala, accused the government of political interference aimed at stifling the party's growth.
Despite the setback, Gachagua and the DCP vowed to push forward.
The party now plans to reschedule the launch for later in June at a private venue and will continue building grassroots support through civic forums nationwide.
