- The President William Ruto-led UDA party had scheduled its grassroots elections on December 9 this year
- Following a meeting convened by the president, the ruling political party pushed the elections to April next year
- The current leadership of the party headquartered along Ngong Road, Nairobi, is on an interim basis
Nairobi – The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party grassroots elections slated for December this year have been pushed forward.
Source: Facebook
The ruling political outfit’s secretary general, Cleophas Malala, said the election would be held in three phases in April 2023.
The resolution was realised after a National Steering Council (NSC) meeting presided over by President William Ruto in his capacity as the party leader.
“Following a National Steering Council (NSC) meeting held on November 18 2023, and chaired by the party leader. The United Democratic Alliance party (UDA) wishes to notify all members and aspirants that the grassroots elections initially scheduled for December 9 2023 have been postponed,” said Malala.
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The elections would be undertaken in three clusters on April 12, 19 and 26 April, 2024.
While encouraging the aspirants to continue enlisting themselves ahead of the polls, the party said it would soon release a detailed schedule outlining county clusters.
In September this year, Ruto declared that it was all systems go for the December elections.
According to him, the plan would be to build the outfit into a governance institution.
“I am announcing here in Nyeri that all members of UDA, wherever you are, there will be elections in December. We will announce the election timetable so that we can build the party as an institution of governance,” Ruto said.
He envisioned the UDA party suppressing the destructive tribal politics and branding a national party that would unite Kenyans.
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“We are going to make sure that we build a national party that is going to unite the country, unite communities and unite interests from every corner,” he said.
Ahead of the polls, a section of elected leaders from the Mt Kenya region issued a raft of demands likely to cause division in the party.
Why Nyeri leaders wanted changes in the UDA party
During the sensitization forum in Nyeri in readiness for the oncoming elections, the leaders demanded that the party’s constitution be amended to provide for a single deputy party leader’s position.
“There must be a party leader and a deputy party leader; the rest can be whatever they want to be. And we are demanding that, as members of UDA,” Nyeri governor Mutahi Kahiga said.
Senator Wahome Wamatinga echoed sentiments expressed by the Nyeri governor, insisting that the ruling party ought only to have one deputy party leader, a move perceived to put Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in a pole position to succeed Ruto.
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“We have one party leader, and it is so important that we have one deputy party leader. And that is true,” Senator Wamatinga stated.
They were categorical that the secretary general post be reserved for the Mt. Kenya region, arguing that they constitute the largest voting bloc.
Source: TUKO.co.ke