The cracks in the ruling party have continued to widen with the recent twist in the disunity being a move where the party’s National Election Board (NEB) has disowned a notice authored by Secretary General Cleophas Malala purporting to postpone elections in West Pokot County.
In a statement on Thursday, May 30, Chairperson of the UDA Elections Board Anthony Mwaura labeled the notice issued by Malala fake.
In the notice addressed to all party members, Mwaura said the National Elections Board is the only organ mandated to plan, organize, direct and coordinate internal party elections, and therefore make announcements related to the preparations for the forthcoming grassroot elections.
“The UDA party will carry on with ALL the Constituency level elections scheduled to take place tomorrow the 31/5/2024,” read the notice in part.
Mwaura further clarified that the Political Parties and Disputes Tribunal had pronounced itself on the matter in the case of Walter Trenk & Another Vs Cleophas Malala where the decision affirmed that the mandate to organize and plan elections solely lies with the election board.
In a separate statement, the Vice Chairman of UDA’s Election and Nominations Dispute Resolution Council (ENDRC) Adrian Kamotho also labeled the ruling referenced by Malala in his decision to postpone elections in the county as fake.
“Our attention is drawn to a public notice issued by the acting Secretary General of the UDA party purporting to reference an Order of the Electoral and Nomination Disputes Resolution Committee (ENDRC). The referenced Order is FAKE and the same did not emanate from the ENDRC,” Adrian Kamotho noted.
Also Read: Sakaja Blasts Gachagua as UDA Woes Deepen
Malala had on Thursday notified members in West Pokot that the elections would be postponed to a later date.
Divisions rock UDA
The confusion surrounding UDA’s election dates comes on heels of divisions that have rocked the ruling party in the past few days.
Upon arrival in Kenya from his trip in China on Wednesday, Secretary General Malala called out several leaders in the party accusing them of fueling disunity.
In particular, the former Kakamega Senator put Kapsaret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi on notice over his actions he deemed to be disrespectful to the party’s senior leadership.
Also Read: Malala Responds to Sudi’s “Elevated MCA” Post, Ropes in Ruto
Additionally, Malala warned cabinet secretaries Kipchumba Murkomen (Transport) and Moses Kuria (Public Service) and asked them to consider resigning from their positions should they continue to engage in politics.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had also hit out at some leaders in the Rift Valley whom he accused of interfering with the politics of his backyard in Mount Kenya.
His remarks came after questions about his absence from public events in a span of almost one week emerged.
Whilst some reports claimed that the DP was charting his way out of the party, his office refuted rumors that he was in the process of acquiring a new party.
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