United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala has hit back at the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party over demands to have Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) chair Anthony Mwaura resign.
Mwaura and the Kenya Power and Lightening Company (KPLC) board chairperson Joy Mdivo were appointed by the party officials as National Elections Board Chairperson and Chairperson for the Electoral Disputes Resolution Committee (EDRC) respectively.
According to Malala, the party did not break any laws in making the appointments as alleged by ODM leadership.
“We feel compelled to respond with clarity and transparency. We are fully aware of the divinity of the law on who constitute a public officer. Chairpersons of state corporations are not public officers.
“The requirements and qualifications for being a chairperson is that one must not be public officer. Board chairpersons are appointed by the president discretionally and are not renumerated as employees of the institutions they chair. The accusations of ODM are therefore unfounded,” Malala stated.
Also Read: ODM Announces Job Opportunities Ahead of Party Elections
Malala on How UDA has Schooled ODM
According to Malala, ODM lacks political narrative and has therefore decided to focus on the internal affairs of the UDA party.
Further, he said that the Raila Odinga-led party was following the path created by UDA by making the decision to conducting party elections shorty after they announced their schedule.
Also, Malala accused ODM of failing in upholding democracy despite including the word in their party name.
“We note with utmost flatter that the ODM party has followed in the path of UDA party to conduct party elections. Soon after we announced our schedule of the national grassroot election,
“We are proud that as a young party, UDA has inspired ODM to learn a lot more about democracy. We challenge ODM to continue observing and learning from the UDA party as these democratic ideals led to winning its first presidential seat against ODM’s fifth failed attempt,” added Malala.
Also Read: ODM Gives Demands After UDA Appointed Anthony Mwaura & Joy Mdivo
ODM Issues Demands Over the Appointments
On April 3, ODM demanded that the appointment made by UDA be revoked immediately, arguing that staring at the return of the Party State system last seen in the 1980s when party leaders and public servants were one and the same thing.
“In particular, the Committee expressed deep concerns over developments in UDA, where public officers, paid by taxpayers from all political formations, have been appointed as party officials,” read part of the ODM party statement.
“Consequently, we demand that all those people who have been named as UDA officials must immediately resign from public service. There is no way they will serve two masters, the public and the UDA part,” indicated ODM.
The ODM committee resolved to kick off the Party grassroots elections on the 27th of April 2024.
However, the exercise will commence on 27th April in Kwale, Busia and Siaya Counties.
