Jephnel Nyakwama to appeal UDA move to deny him ticket

Jephnel Nyakwama was disqualified from the UDA presidential ticket race. [File, Standard]

A candidate who was disqualified from the UDA presidential ticket race on Saturday says he is likely to appeal the decision.

Jephnel Nyakwama, 29, said it was unfair to disqualify him from the nomination process.

Speaking to The Standard on the phone, the University of Nairobi Law graduate said he has requested a waiver on the Sh1 million nomination fee. 

The party is set to hold its National Delegates Conference tomorrow.

Deputy President William Ruto was cleared to vie as UDA's presidential candidate as Mr Nyakwama and Ms Tracy Wanjiru, 23, were disqualified.

Ms Wanjiru is a third-year student at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Deputy President William Ruto (center) was cleared to vie as UDA's presidential candidate. [Twitter, @UDAKenya]

However, Nyakwama says he will be available to serve the party at the grassroots or at the party secretariat.

“I subscribe to the UDA ideology of supporting the poor. We have for long been supporting the rich. The bottom-up approach advanced by the party can perfectly work in the country.”

He says he will work harder to have the Kenya Kwanza candidate emerge as the winner in the presidential race. “This is a race between the poor and the rich; those who have for years denied us the opportunity to achieve our goals should be ready for a fierce battle.”