UDA to hold nominations for all seats on April 14

UDA National Election Board members, from left, Ummi Bashir (Vice-Chairperson), Anthony Mwaura (Chairman) and Aurelia Rono, March 25, 2022. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance will hold nominations for all elective seats on April 14.

The party's National Elections Board (NEB) yesterday communicated the ambitious plan of holding a countrywide exercise that involves "more than 6,000 aspirants" in a single day.

"The nominations will be held simultaneously in all wards, constituencies and wards. The party reiterates its commitment to render free, fair, verifiable and democratic party primaries," NEB chairperson Anthony Mwaura said.

He said UDA would not issue direct ticket to any aspirant, adding that they would encourage consensus to avoid primaries in areas where such will be possible.

"We encourage consensus so long as aspirants agree and sign a written agreement," he added, saying UDA would not conduct any regional zoning.

This was in response to events that saw the party surrender the Kakamega governorship seat to Musalia Mudavadi's Amani National Congress.

The NEB spoke amid reports that some UDA prospective aspirants had been de-listed from the list of applicants, only to be added back.

Some of those who had found their names missing had claimed it was as a result of direct ticketing, a method UDA clarified it would not employ.

Without providing any evidence, Mwaura claimed outside forces had tampered with their affairs.

"We are guarding our list to avoid such incidents from recurring," he said.

Mwaura further condemned the violence meted The Standard journalist Moses Nyamori and The Star's Luke Awich at Chungwa House.

"Journalists are our partners and any form of violence against them should not be tolerated," he said.