Former Raila aide elected UDA official in Homa Bay

Former Raila Odinga's aide Silas Jakakimba addressing journalists after voting during the UDA Homa Bay County elections at the UDA headquarters in Homa Bay town. UDA party concluded its grassroots elections in Home Bay County on Monday as one of its strategies for battling the ODM party in its stronghold. [James Omoro, Standard]

ODM leader Raila Odinga's former aide Silas Jakakimba and former Orange party MCA Kennedy Obuya will now lead UDA activities in Homa Bay county after getting the delegates nod.

During UDA grassroots elections at the party headquarters in Homa Bay town on Monday, Obuya, and Jakakimba were elected chairman and secretary respectively.

Obuya joined UDA after the 2022 elections and has been serving as the interim Homa Bay county chairman.

He is a seasoned politician and served as Imara Daima MCA, in Nairobi county, from 2017 to 2022.

The UDA Homa Bay chairman vied for Karachuonyo parliamentary seat as an independent candidate in the 2022 General Election but lost to Adipo Okuome.

He told The Standard that his priority will be to reconcile candidates who vied for various seats in the UDA grassroots elections in the county.

"An election is an emotive exercise which can polarise candidates. My first duty will be reconciliation of all the candidates who vied for seats in the UDA grassroots election for the sake of unity," Obuya said.

Jakakimba said he will focus on UDA membership registration targeting more than 300,000 members in the county by 2027.

"In collaboration with my fellow UDA officials we will embark on membership registration to ensure our members are more than 60 per cent of registered voters in this county," he said.

The UDA Homa Bay branch secretary revealed that they will develop campaign strategies to ensure the party clinches many seats in the 2027 General Election.

Homa Bay county is a perceived ODM stronghold and bagged the governor, senator, and nine parliamentary seats.

Jakakimba said they want to ensure UDA gains ground in the county.

"We are going to start a new dawn and the people of Homa Bay have accepted the UDA party. We will get MPs in Homa Bay," he said.