The ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is riven by infighting, with party leaders embroiled in a multi-front battle that could destroy the party.
The party’s president, William Ruto, is at loggerheads with the party’s acting leader, Ligathi Gachagua.
The organization’s former secretary-general, Cleophas Malala, is in court seeking to overturn a decision that removed him from his position in August.
The party is also at a crossroads over whether to return to aborted grassroots elections after it began merger talks with Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC).
Four days ago, party leaders led by Secretary-General Hassan Omar and Chairperson Cecily Mbarire met with university students to launch the Comrades chapter, which Omar said would become “the legitimate popular organ of the UDA party.”
“This initiative is a first in Kenyan politics, as it will see students directly engage with the ruling party and ensure that the voice of young people is heard and valued. Fourteen young people will be drawn from the newly launched chapter to have input into the task force on education funding models,” Mbarire said.
Last month, the party announced Omar’s appointment as Malala’s successor and said it would launch a suspended grassroots election.
“We have instructed the National Election Commission to make the necessary arrangements and continue with the elections in the remaining counties as previously communicated. This election will finally give party members the opportunity to elect their leader from the polling station up to the national level,” a statement from the National Election Commission said.
Ironically, in June the UDA and ANC agreed to merge and a joint committee was formed to find a name, symbol and colours for the new party to be used as a special purpose vehicle for President William Ruto’s re-election campaign.
Following their meeting in June, ANC leaders met on August 3 to formally approve the merger with the UDA at a meeting hosted by interim party leader, Lamoureate Issa Timamy.
Mr. Timamy has been given the mandate to lead, coordinate and oversee the implementation and completion of the merger.
“Time is of the essence,” Timamy said, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the merger.
This happened despite candidates donating millions of shillings to the party to be allowed to run for various positions in the polling station, ward level, constituency and county elections which attracted over 190,000 candidates.
Stay up to date: Subscribe to our newsletter
County officials had to pay 10,000 shillings to be eligible to run, ward representatives had to donate 2,000 shillings, and ward officials paid 5,000 shillings to the party.
At the ward level, candidates had to pay 1,000 shillings and at the polling station level 200 shillings. To register as a delegate, one had to pay 2,000 shillings.
As the merger process progresses, the UDA faces new challenges as President Ruto’s new partnership with ODM leader Raila Odinga paves the way for opposition members to join government as ministers.
There is speculation that a 2027 electoral pact may be struck between ODM and the UDA, which could disrupt plans for a merger between the UDA and the ANC.
Amid growing turmoil within the UDA, a faction has emerged in which councillors sympathetic to Gachagua are threatening to withhold their monthly contributions.
The threat of an impeachment motion against Gachagua further deepened the divisions, with lawmakers reading different versions of the message.
Benjamin Gatile, the member of parliament for Embakasi Central constituency, says the party’s future is uncertain.
“Where is the ruling party that holds meetings before 5 am just to evade court orders? They postponed grassroots elections despite candidates investing millions of dollars, but they don’t care. Party members are losing attachment to the party with each passing day,” the MP said.
He said the party had no future unless the National Executive Committee (NEC) led by the President met and gave directives.
“Why can’t they run the party professionally like ODM? As things stand, how can any representative take part in the so-called grassroots elections which are in a state of chaos?” Gatil questioned.
But the party’s treasurer, Kitutu Kyache North Member of Parliament Japheth Nyakundi, maintained that the UDA was vibrant and ready to return to grassroots elections.
Asked about the nature of grassroots elections at a time when the proposed merger of the UDA and ANC would introduce a new political trajectory, Nyakundi further complicated the situation by asserting that “there has been a merger but the UDA will remain”.
“We will come up with a strategy to incorporate ANC allies as we move forward. We are in the final stages of merger,” Nkakundi said.
