NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dramatically widened the field of possible opposition alliances for the 2027 presidential election, saying he would be ready to run as Edwin Sifuna’s deputy if the Nairobi senator emerges as the candidate best placed to defeat President William Ruto.Gachagua, who is positioning himself as one of the key figures in the opposition camp, said personal ambitions should not stand in the way of forming a winning alliance, suggesting that even presidential hopefuls must be prepared to take the number two position if the electoral mathematics demands it.Addressing Kenyans in Spokane, Washington, Gachagua said the opposition should first establish which of its leaders commands the strongest support before settling on the presidential ticket.“If we do our arithmetic and find that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna will send President William Ruto home early, so be it,” he said.Gachagua then made his own position clear.“And there is no problem, by the way, even I, Riggy G, can deputise Sifuna. There is nothing wrong with that.”The former deputy president also suggested that the same arrangement could apply to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, saying the eventual ticket could be built around whichever opposition politician demonstrates the greatest capacity to defeat Ruto.“Even Sifuna can deputise me. Sifuna can also deputise Kalonzo Musyoka. Kalonzo can also deputise Sifuna,” he said.Gachagua said the opposition could ultimately produce an unconventional ticket combining younger politicians with more experienced leaders.“We will come up with a line-up and you will love it. We will blend youthful energy with experience,” he said, drawing cheers from the audience.His remarks effectively placed Sifuna in the same presidential conversation as more established opposition figures, despite the senator having yet to formally secure the backing of a broad national coalition.Gachagua later emphasised that he was not joking about Sifuna’s presidential prospects, naming the senator alongside himself and Kalonzo as serious contenders.“Let me explain, we are very serious presidential aspirants and Sifuna is one of them,” he said.“Riggy G here is a serious candidate, my cousin Kalonzo Musyoka is a serious candidate, and we can give to anybody, including Sifuna.”Age questionGachagua’s comments came shortly after Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli questioned whether Sifuna was sufficiently prepared to make a presidential bid in 2027.Atwoli had advised the Nairobi senator to wait, arguing that he needed to establish a wider political network and strengthen his national presence before seeking the presidency.Gachagua dismissed the argument, pointing to the ages at which some world leaders attained the presidency.Sifuna, he noted, is 44, while former US President Barack Obama was 47 when he was elected. He also cited former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was 42 when he first became president.“I want to tell that Mzee, Sifuna is above 18 years, he is 44. Barack Obama was elected US President at 47. Roosevelt was elected President of the US at the age of 42,” Gachagua said.“If at the age of 42 you can govern a country as large as the US, at 44 what is Kenya?”The former deputy president urged Sifuna to ignore calls to postpone his ambitions and instead test his popularity in the political arena.“I have told my younger brother, do not be discouraged by anybody, go for it,” he said.Numbers to decide ticketGachagua said the opposition should be prepared to back any candidate who can demonstrate that they have the best chance of defeating Ruto.The position leaves open the possibility of Gachagua stepping aside for either Sifuna or Kalonzo if they can demonstrate stronger support across the country.“If you persuade us that you are the best person to take Ruto home, we will rally behind you. There is no problem,” he said.He gave a similar undertaking to Kalonzo, saying he would support the Wiper leader if the former Vice-President could convince the opposition that he was the strongest candidate.“If Kalonzo convinces us, why not? I, Riggy G, can do it, why not?” he said.Gachagua’s comments inject a new dimension into the opposition’s efforts to settle on a single presidential candidate, shifting the debate from who has the strongest claim to the ticket to who can produce the numbers required to defeat Ruto.