The United Democratic Aliance-UDA, under the leadership of President William Ruto has called off the grassroots slated for December elections across the country.
In a statement on Saturday, November 18, Party Secretary General Cleophas Malala announced that a National Steering Committee (NSC) meeting chaired by President Ruto had resolved to postpone the elections initially scheduled for December 9, 2023.
Instead, Malala announced that the elections will be staggered in three clusters taking place on April 12, 19, and 24 in 2024.
“Following a National Steering Council (NSC) meeting held on 18th November 2023, and chaired by the Party Leader H.E William Samoei Ruto, PhD, CGH. The United Democratic Alliance party (UDA) wishes to notify all members and aspirants that the grassroots elections initially scheduled for December 9th 2023 have been postponed,” Malala announced in the statement.
In addition, the Party asked aspirants to continue registration with deadline now set for March 22, 2024, at 6.00 p.m. UDA also noted that a detailed schedule outlining county clusters will be released in due course.
Preparations for grassroots elections had been shrouded in controversy with factions exposing possible infighting in the ruling party.
UDA members clash over who should deputize Ruto
A group of politicians hailing from the Mount Kenya region, for example, tabled demands pushing to have the proposal to have two deputy party leaders dropped.
Instead, the group wanted UDA to maintain a single Deputy Party Leader to be held by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Additionally, the Mount Kenya caucus pushed to have the position of the party’s Secretary General reserved for the region.
Led by Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga and close ally of DP Gachagua, the leaders alluded to a plot from some figures in the party to clip down the Deputy President in the party’s affairs.
They, as such, vowed to oppose any addition in the Deputy Party Leader post.
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“We will not stand any effort to water down the position of the deputy party leader, and we maintain that the party constitution must conform to the constitution of the republic of Kenya,” Governor Kahiga stated.
There has also been infighting among leaders hailing from Western Kenya, with Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa calling for the resignation of Malala as the party’s SG.
Nairobi county’s election had also been projected to be a hot a contest with figures in the ruling party reported to have been flexing muscles to gain control of the county’s leadership.
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The differences in the party were further manifested in the lack of clarity regarding the exact date of the elections.
One faction pushed to have the elections held in December 2023, while another wanted to have the elections postponed to next year.
