Malala Speaks On Cracks In UDA Amidst Threats To Kick Him Out As Secretary General

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala has addressed the tension surrounding the ruling party ahead of its planned grassroots elections on December 9, 2023.

Malala was speaking while inspecting the Bomas of Kenya where the party will be holding the UDA National Women Congress on Friday, October 13.

He assured UDA members that the party will hold free and fair grassroots elections on December 9, however acknowledging that there were concerns among party members with regards to the elections with some fearing that there are favoured candidates for the party leadership positions.

Malala refuted claims of favouritism in the upcoming internal polls aimed at restructuring the party.

“I want to assure all our party members that this election is going to be free and fair, let them cast fears away that this election is going to be interfered with or it is going to have some level of favoritism in terms of implementation

“All candidates aspiring to be leaders in our party are going to have a free and fair election come December 9,” Malalah stated.

He added that the elections will be conducted digitally with plans for the December 9 exercise rolling on in full swing.

“We are going to have a digitalized way of voting and we have so far procured almost 27,500 gadgets that are going to be used in every polling center in this country therefore we are going to the second phase to ensure the software that is going to be used is installed in all those gadgets and tested before that day,” he added.

Malala has been facing opposition from notable leaders of the party including Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale ahead of the UDA party elections set to be held countrywide to fill the party posts, including the prized ones of the party leader and deputy party leader.

Khalwale on Monday, October 9 filed a petition at the UDA Disputes Resolutions Committee seeking to have Malala removed as the party's secretary general. The senator sued Malala over the appointment of regional and county managers for the upcoming party grassroots elections.

The senator claimed that the appointments were made without evidence of consultations with other relevant party organs.

“That, pending the hearing and determination of the petition, the Honorable Committee be pleased to issue an injunction to restrain the Respondent, Cleophas Malala Wakhungu, from exercising the functions of the office of the Secretary General of the Interested Party, the United Democratic Alliance,” the petition read in part.

Khalwale further argued that if the disciplinary committee had not issued the conservatory order, Malala would have continued to use the position to take advantage of situations that would benefit him to the detriment of the petitioners and other party members.