Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for Citizens Party has released its 2027 nomination fee structure, charging aspirants from Ksh5,000 for MCA to Ksh50,000 for governor, with a 50% discount for youth and PWDs.
If you're eyeing a seat on Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) ticket for 2027, the party now wants to know exactly how serious you are — and it's put a shilling figure on it. In a statement issued Wednesday, September 2, DCP called on prospective candidates to complete their registration, laying out a tiered fee structure alongside the perks that come with official aspirant status.
How Much Aspirants Will Pay
The fee structure is scaled by seniority of position. MCA aspirants will part with Ksh5,000, the lowest fee on the list. Those eyeing Parliament — MPs, Senators and Woman Representatives alike — will pay Ksh10,000. At the top end, aspirants seeking the governor's seat face the steepest fee: Ksh50,000.
The party has built in a fairness measure too. Youth and persons with disabilities (PWDs) will get a 50 per cent discount across every category listed, effectively halving the cost of entry for these groups regardless of which seat they're pursuing.
To register, aspirants are directed to pay through DCP's listed paybill and account numbers, with the account registered under the name Democracy for the Citizens Party. Once payment is made, aspirants must forward the M-Pesa transaction message together with their full name, ID number, phone number, county, constituency, ward and the specific position they intend to contest.
What Aspirants Get for Their Money
DCP has been keen to frame the fee not merely as a formality but as a gateway to real party support. "Registering as a DCP aspirant gives you more than a place on the list; it allows you to build, organise and champion the party at the grassroots," the party said in its announcement.
Concretely, registration confers official recognition as a candidate seeking the DCP nomination and makes aspirants eligible to take part in the party's nomination process. Beyond that, registered aspirants get the chance to campaign and pitch their agendas to voters, tap into party structures for grassroots mobilisation, and get folded into official DCP activities and programmes. They'll also be first in line for nomination updates and other official communication from the party.
The party has framed the registration window as more than a paperwork exercise — encouraging aspirants to use the period to actively build their political profiles, demonstrate grassroots traction, and compete on a level playing field with fellow aspirants under DCP's internal rules.
Part of a Wider Trend
DCP isn't alone in monetising its nomination pipeline this cycle. The same week, the Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF) rolled out its own aspirant fee structure with an October 3 registration deadline, while other parties, including UDA, have previously required prospective candidates to pay registration fees ranging from a few hundred shillings up to Ksh10,000. Early, fee-based registration appears to be becoming standard practice across Kenya's political parties as they attempt to firm up their candidate lists well ahead of the 2027 General Election.
For DCP specifically, the move also comes as the party works to expand its national footprint beyond its Mt Kenya base, with the party's leadership previously signalling ambitions to field candidates in all 47 counties.