More trouble for UDM as top official calls it quits

By Vitalis Kimutai

The litany of woes and leadership crisis in the United Democratic Movement party seems to have increased with the resignation of its national chairman.

Resignation of Mr Joseph Chirchir and subsequent defection to the United Republican Party is one of the biggest blows UDM has been dealt in the past three months.

Chirchir, while announcing his resignation at the weekend, said he could no longer be party to wrangles in the outfit and that his stepping aside would allow other officials to take UDM to the next level.

UDM Secretary General Martin Kamwaro confirmed yesterday the party National Executive Council would be meeting this week to deliberate on the next move.

"The top decision making organ of the party is to be convened in the course of the week to deliberate on the resignation of the chairman," Kamwaro said, adding that while the resignation was unfortunate, it did not come as a surprise to party members and officials.

Illegal decisions

"You have to remember Chirchir had gone against the party constitution by siding with MPs who were not members of UDM and convening an illegal NEC meeting where far-reaching decisions (albeit illegal) were made," Kamwaro said.

Chirchir’s exit leaves UDM in a very precarious position even as it seeks to comply with the Political Parties Act, the Elections Act and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act.

It also follows resignation of 23 national officials including Organising Secretary and former MP Joseph Lagat, vice-chairman Millicent Nyaboge, Youth Secretary Kibet Komen.

Eldoret North MP William Ruto early this year led 41 MPs in withdrawing their support from UDM and joining United Republican Party (URP). Ruto and the MPs had revitalised UDM across the country and had wanted to be its presidential flag-bearer in the next General Election.

Mogotio MP Hellen Sambili, the only UDM legislator, has chosen to remain steadfast in the party even as it suffers defections.

"Some officials in UDM have adamantly refused to abide by NEC resolutions to hold grassroots election in compliance with the Political Parties Act and the Election Act," Chirchir said while announcing his resignation. He said the grassroots and national elections would have enabled UDM to have a better grip countrywide and an edge over the competition, but national officials did not want to open up democratic space within the party.

"The party is bogged down by several court cases following leadership tussles and I feel I should step aside to enable it move on. If the wrangles persists, I fear UDM would not comply with new laws," he added.

Chirchir expressed hope his stepping aside would enable the party officials to withdraw cases in court and put their house in order.

Challenge ouster

"The ground on which URP is founded is strong and the party accommodates people of all strata in the country with members being owners of the party. It has demonstrated its commitment to democracy and politics of inclusion," Chirchir said.

Chirchir replaced Lt Gen (rtd) John Koech as UDM chairman one and half years ago, but Koech moved to court to challenge the ouster.

Recently, the High Court referred the matter to the Political Parties Tribunal chaired by Mr Peter Siman.

Through lawyer Mugambi Imanyara, Koech had filed a petition against his ouster before the tribunal.

UDM officials led by Kamwaro had contested the matter in court, saying the tribunal did not have legal basis to handle the matter.

Resume duties

But Koech also filed a constitutional reference saying his fundamental rights as a party member had been infringed.

The tribunal, following the High Court ruling, is now expected to hear the case.

However, sources said the case may altogether be dropped to pave the way for Koech to resume his duties after more than a year in the cold.

Koech, who is the chairman of the Poverty Eradication Commission, has since closed ranks with the party officials.

"Koech is set for a comeback as the chairman as he now enjoys support of majority of NEC members keen on rejuvenating UDM. We will be subjecting the issue to a vote in the next few days," a top party official said.

Koech, in a previous interview, said Ruto and his group had schemed for his ouster because they knew he was a principled leader who did not believe in under the table deals and political machinations.

He said UDM did not need excess baggage brought by some of the MPs with anti-corruption, land grabbing cases and issues of integrity facing them.

The former military staff had been accused of being sympathetic of Prime Minister Raila Odinga by a section of UDM officials.

Kamwaro recently dismissed the formation of URP by MPs who had been associating with UDM for over a year. He said all the MPs allied to Ruto did not register as UDM members even as they supported the party and as such they remained ODM representatives.

"We wish to set the record straight that Ruto and his team did not defect from UDM but from ODM to URP. As far as we are concerned, they found us a weak party and they are leaving us (UDM) stronger and more popular," Kamwaro said.

"UDM has clearly demonstrated that the era of sycophancy, dictatorship and impunity is long gone as we have a new constitutional and political dispensation," added Kamwaro.

Kuresoi MP Zakayo Cheruiyot said the frustration in UDM had made them move to URP which would foster democratic ideals and fairness. "We are done with UDM. In fact, ODM can have it (UDM) as they desperately wanted to. We were in a tractor and we have moved to a proper vehicle (URP). There is no looking back," Cheruiyot said.

Wriggle out

"The question we asked ourselves was since UDM had been infiltrated by ODM, the next move was a section of its officials moving to court barring us from being members. It would seriously affect us. We had to find another party fast and wriggle out of the mess," he added.

Mr Stanley Rotich, a NEC member and also the Secretary for Labour and Human Resource, said the MPs allied to Ruto had vowed to wreck UDM before dumping it.

"When they realised they could not dictate NEC officials to do things in total contravention of the Constitution, they decided they would wreck the party from within before their exit. We are happy they did not achieve the goal," Rotich said.

He added that the minimum requirement for complying with the Political Parties Act was not necessarily through an election, but recruitment of 1,000 members in at least 24 counties.

He said the party recently shed its old colours — green, milk white, sky blue — and adopted yellow as it main colour with a white strip and green as it seeks to comply with the new laws.

"Following the defections, it would not be easy for UDM to maintain its grip in the political arena, especially in Rift Valley, Coast and North Eastern regions as it used to," former official Komen said.