UDA wars escalate in the city as party polls cause jitters in camps

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua with Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja during church service at Jesus Winner Ministry in Roysambu Constituency, Nairobi County on March 5, 2023. [DPCS]

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is in a crisis. Its top leaders, split between supporting President William Ruto or his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, are embroiled in wrangles over party elections scheduled to be held this Friday, even as some factions threaten to quit the outfit. 

UDA, which has been seeking to break the curse of political parties that hate going to the ballot, was poised to hold elections for the Nairobi County chairmanship positions on June 7, a process that now hangs in limbo.

But in a statement issued by its National Election Board (NEB) chair Anthony Mwaura on Wednesday, he said that "all elected constituency delegates in the first phase of grassroots elections will be informed of the date and venue of scheduled county elections in respective counties."

The notice added, “In the meantime, disputes concerning the just-concluded constituency elections will be dispensed with, by the electoral and disputes resolution committee."

This has left many candidates unsure of their fate. In Nairobi, the party communication caused confusion as Governor Johnson Sakaja and Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, who are both eyeing the position, each claiming victory.

In the last few days, the two camps have been claiming to have won the majority of the delegates who will vote for the party chairperson.

This has not only caused jitters in both camps but there are also reports that one of the two politicians could be favoured, hence the plan to delay the polls.

Gakuya, who is allied to Gachagua, vowed to fight to the bitter end, even as he complained of a plot to subvert the popular will of voters.

The MP, who has accused Sakaja of failing to manage Nairobi, said the governor would not do any better in the party.

Democratic process

Gakuya said he is ready for a democratic process when elections are held tomorrow, claiming his delegates bagged 248 slots compared to Sakaja who managed 67 while a third independent candidate got 25.

Sakaja's team, on the other hand, claims they garnered 240 delegates and was optimistic that this will change with time in their favour.

“So far, we are at 240 and the numbers are going up. Some people had declared their interest as independents but now are willing to join us,” Sakaja told The Standard.

“We have seen the communication from the party that election dates will be announced, and we would not wish for the same to be postponed,” he added.

This means the 25 independents candidates could now tilt the numbers for the two politicians eyeing the UDA chairman position.

But Gakuya fumed during in an interview with local radio station, saying, “We cannot build a party where you are not recognised as a shareholder. If they feel that the party belongs to them, they can have it.”

He added: “You build a strong building because you are part and parcel of it. That is why we built UDA and we supported it to win the election. The cake has to be shared among all of us.”

He said he expected UDA to foster party democracy and lead for generations to come, noting that "so far, this has not been achieved, a situation that could possibly lead to parting ways".

"It was deliberate to postpone elections to cover up shame because they know that I will win in Nairobi. This is a pilot test especially now that people are giving an excuse that they are afraid of Gakuya because he cannot be controlled," he said.