Why I'm Yet To Receive Khalwale's Petition- Malala
Malala revealed that the party's secretariat was yet to receive the petition formally despite Malala sharing a WhatsApp group with the Senator.
Marvin Chege 
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala revealed on Wednesday, October 18 that he was yet to receive a petition by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale seeking his ouster from the top party position.
Speaking at the UDA headquarters which hosted Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Malala revealed that the party's secretariat was yet to receive the petition formally despite Malala sharing a WhatsApp group with the Senator.
However, the SG noted that the party would pronounce a formal judgement on the matter using the necessary party channels, adding that Khalwale's petition was merely the right of an individual.
Kakamega Senator, Boni Khalwale. /FILE
"I share a WhatsApp group with Boni Khalwale and I saw that thing on the group but our secretariat has not received anything, so I'm yet to receive that petition," Malala disclosed.
"When it comes to the secretariat, we will adjudicate using the mechanisms of the party. We are a democratic party and everybody has a right to petition."
Malala further declared that he held great respect from Khalwale, tracing his roots to the same village as him, promising that he would link up with him later in the day to talk about their differences.
“We are keen to sort out any conflicts amicably. Boni Khalwale, we emanate from the same village.
"I will sip a cup of porridge in the evening talk to him, and get to know what he feels because he is my political father, I respect him so much and we will be able to sort our issues,” assured Malalah.
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.
On Thursday, October 12, Malala shrugged off the tension purportedly building up within the ruling party ahead of its planned grassroots elections on December 9, 2023.
“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 favouritism 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 while inspecting the Bomas of Kenya where the party held the UDA National Women Congress the following day.
He added that the elections will be conducted digitally, disclosing that UDA procured almost 27,500 gadgets that are going to be used in every polling centre in the country during the elections.
Malala has been facing opposition from notable leaders of the party including Senator 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.
