Gachagua makes impromptu visit to UDA h**dquarters days after party postponed elections
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Monday, November 27 made an impromptu inspection visit to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party Headquarters in Nairobi ahead of grassroots elections slated for April next year.
In a statement, the country's second lauded the party secretariat for ongoing preparations, saying the polls would go on as envisaged.
"The party is set for elections as envisaged. I commend the Secretariat for the great work they have done towards running the party," Gachagua stated.
UDA polls postponed
The polls were initially slated for December before they were postponed on November 18.
While announcing the postponement of the elections, UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala said the decision was arrived at after a meeting with party leader President William Ruto.
“Following a National Steering Council (NSC) meeting held on 18th November 2023, and chaired by the Party Leader William Ruto. 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 stated.
The former Kakamega Senator noted that the elections would be staggered into three clusters, taking place on 12th, 19th and 26th April 2024.
“A detailed schedule outlining county clusters will be released in due course,” Malala said further urging members interested in the leadership positions to continue registering before the window closes on March 22, 2024.
The postponement of the polls sparked rumours of infighting in the ruling party.
Last month, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalalwe petitioned the UDA Party's Disputes and Resolutions Committee to remove Malala from office citing gross misconduct in the management of the party affairs and forthcoming elections.
In the petition, Khalwale and another member of the UDA party, Walter Mkinginyi Trenk, asked the committee Malala kicked out for allegedly usurping the powers and functions of the National Elections Board of the party.
The petitioners accuse Malala of taking advantage of his position as the SG to exploit situations that would be beneficial to him to the detriment of him and other party members.
"I urge the committee to intervene since we the petitioners and other parties of UDA will suffer irreparable personal loss and prejudice," the petitioners said.
The petitioners told the committee that the SG usurped the power of the party's National Elections Board by hiring regional and county managers to conduct the grassroots elections.
The committee is yet to deliver a ruling on the matter.
