Nairobi News

Must ReadWhat's Hot

Ruto to mediate through UDA leadership crisis in Nairobi


President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has failed to agree on who will occupy the minority leadership positions at the Nairobi County Assembly.

This is after a crisis meeting held at the party headquarters on October 26, 2023, that was intended to end the stalemate failed as the two factions intensified their rivalry.

The meeting, chaired by the party National Chairperson Cecily Mbarire and Secretary General Cleophas Malala, failed to persuade members to reach a consensus and agree on the weighty matter at hand, but the two factions refused to lower their guard.

“We are cognizant of the need to come up with the solution as quickly as possible. Therefore, we’ll be calling for phase two of the dame, for now we will look at what has come out of the meeting and determine our next course of action,” Mbarire said.

The closed-door meeting, which lasted more than three hours and was attended by the 53 MCAs of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance, agreed to meet again in two weeks when the party secretariat will brief the party leader on the evolving issues.

Mbarire, who is Embu Governor, said the party will not rush in making its decision in order to ensure that the two groups remained united.

“We want to create an environment that makes the party sensitive and approachable to issues that are affecting members.”

The governor said that the party will be keen in making its decisions in order to prevent any kind of disagreement going forward, and that the President has his manifesto to deliver, which must be reflected in Nairobi being the capital city.

Mr Malala said that at the moment, Waithaka MCA Anthony Karanja Kiragu remains the Minority Leader, and Mark Mugambi of Umoja One is the Minority Whip following the order that was issued on Wednesday by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal, setting aside the changes that the party had proposed.

“We just started the process, and allow the leadership of the party to transact this business and adjudicate this matter in a manner that we understand will make sure that position and integrity in our party is key and mandatory,” Malala said.

In his recent statement to MCAs, Malala had said that the members would vote during the meeting and the faction with majority votes would be declared the Minority Leaders.

However, during the press, the secretary general clearly stated that no vote was taken during the meeting, a statement that was opposed instantly by the other faction led by Nairobi South MCA Ms Esther Waithera Chege, who had been proposed in a revoked letter by the party to be the Minority Leader.

Ms Waithera said that the vote was taken, and that her side had 27 votes while the other side had 26 votes.

“Members voted by lifting up their hands. Our numbers were 27, their numbers were 26 and that is why it was agreed that because the house is now fully divided into two, the national chair will proceed to brief the President of what transpired in the meeting,” Ms Waithera said.

According to the two factions, the party chairperson told them that since one vote was the difference, she could not announce the winner, hence needed further consultation with the President.

The other faction led by Mr Kiragu, which is strongly behind Governor Johnson Sakaja left the venue without addressing the media.

The meeting also failed to convince pro-Sakaja side to withdraw the case that is active in court, but assured the members that it would continue with its dialogue to bring the two sides together.

Also read: PHOTOS: Early win for Sakaja as hawkers keep off CBD pavements after notice

Kenya Power reports Sh3.2 billion loss