PAA denies plans to merge with UDA ahead of 2027 polls

PAA Secretary General and Ganze MP Kenneth Kazungu Tungule welcomes a new member to the party in Mtwapa, Kilifi County on February 3, 2026. [Nehemiah Okwembah, Standard]

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi’s Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) has dismissed claims that it was in talks to merge with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the 2027 polls.

PAA Secretary General Kenneth Tungule said the reports were false, emphasising that the party will remain intact beyond the 2027 elections. “We have no plans to fold up any time soon. We are supporting President Ruto for a second term, but we are preparing to compete with other parties, particularly in the Coast region,” he stated.

Tungule, who is also the Ganze MP, said PAA will hold a delegates meeting on February 13, bringing together representatives from Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta, Tana River and Lamu counties to kick off preparations for the next general election. He added that it would be undemocratic to dissolve political parties that offer Kenyans a wide range of choices.

“We are soon going to begin voter mobilisation in the Coast region. We will a delegates meeting on February 13,” he said.

Founded ahead of the 2022 polls, PAA won Ganze, Rabai and Kinango parliamentary seats in the Coast region. The party recently attracted former Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa, who left UDA to join PAA while expressing continued support for President Ruto.

Reports suggesting PAA would fold and its officials join UDA were described as “untrue” by Tungule. Kilifi North MP Owen Baya, deputy leader of the majority in the National Assembly, said PAA leaders were best placed to respond on reports suggesting that PAA would fold up and join UDA.

In December last year, Kingi stressed the importance of a homegrown party for Coast residents, saying they would be politically weaker without their own platform.

“I think the PAA leadership would respond to that better,” he said.

A Coast-based radio station reported that talks were at an advanced stage to have PAA fold up and join UDA.

Recently, Kenya Roads Board chairperson and former Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa defected from UDA to PAA saying that she had decided to be in a home-grown party while supporting President Ruto.