As the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) grassroot beckons, President William Ruto’s fresh headache will be to quell the disquiet over the party’s provision of three Deputy party leaders.
The party elections, according to the party elections Board chairperson Antony Mwaura is scheduled for April 262024 in seven counties; Nairobi, Narok, West-Pokot, Busia, Homabay, Isiolo and Garissa and after the completion of the elections, those elected will have a final say over the party officials which include the Secretary General and the two unoccupied deputy party leader posts.
The provision contained in the party’s constitution has caused jitters especially to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s lieutenants who feel its intention is to weaken him in the party, mounting a pressure to amend the party’s by-laws.
The three positions established by the party constitution include policy and strategy, Operations and the third one being that of programs.
Gachagua allies believe the provision will relegate Gachagua into secondary roles of the party and want the party leadership to reflect the Executive’s pecking order.
Led by Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, the leaders have vowed to oppose such plans maintaining that ‘such a proposal was an insult to the Mt Kenya region community which is a major shareholder of the Kenya Kwanza government.’
“We will not stand any effort to water down the position of the Deputy Party leader and we maintain that the party constitution must conform to the constitution of the republic of Kenya,” Kahiga noted.
According to the governor, any leader who is serving in the Kenya Kwanza government has been powering the votes of Mt Kenya region and hence ‘any plans to twist the region would be met with unequivocal opposition.’
“As a teacher I have learnt in psychology that when one is brought up in a violent relationship he ends up being violent but we hope President William Ruto, who was in a toxic relationship with the former President will end up in such a situation,” Kahiga said in an interview with The Standard on phone.
He added “The relationship in the Kenya Kwanza government officers is built on mutual trust between two communities and we hope it will not be destroyed.”
On his part Nyeri Senator Wahome said the leaders’ fear is that with creation of several centers of power, there will be duplication of roles, scramble for power and a move they are rushing to arrest before it is too late.
“The government structure must be mirrored in the party leadership structure, imagine a situation where Gachagua, being the senior most political figure in UDA by virtue of being the Deputy President, has several other officers who are at his status in the party hierarchy?’ posed Wamatinga.
He maintained that the role of strengthening the UDA party should seek to surpass generations to come and not seek to settle certain political scores.
According to the leaders, the narrative that Gachagua should go home with the President after serving their ten years was rife especially from leaders from Western region was also being manifested in the creation of the Deputy Party leader position to undermine the Deputy President.
“We must stop the 2032 general elections political alignments and seek to serve our electorate whoever represents well to the people will be elected and our region which boasts of numbers will be a major player then,” said Wamatinga
In defense of the existence of the positions, the party’s Secretary to Legal Affairs and Gatanga MP Edward Muriu downplayed claims that the move could undermine Gachagua by creating several centers of power saying the move was aimed at persuading the sisters parties in Kenya Kwanza to fold and join UDA.
“We have been convincing the Amani National Congress (ANC) and Ford Kenya to fold their parties for the 2027 general elections but in consideration that their party leaders may demand they would get in return, that is why we have the other two unoccupied positions,”Muriu disclosed.
He continued ‘The two leaders are already in government. Gachagua is above them in the pecking order so there should be no cause for alarm.’
On his part UDA Secretary General Cleopas Malala said the noises that were being experienced showed the vibrancy and the strength of the party and not otherwise.
‘The noises you hear shows that the party is democratic since we allow political leaders to vent; however, does not mean that the party is weak. It’s strong and stable and we have confidence with the party leadership of Dr Ruto and his Deputy,” he said.
According to Malala, the noises on the provision of three Deputy Party leaders should not cause jitters as a decision to fill or scrap the positions would be decided at a later date after consultations.
“At the moment we only have one Deputy party leader who is the Deputy President. My proposal is to scrap the position but that will be decided later,” he said.
On whether or not to replace Gachagua in 2027, Malala said ‘we can’t change what is working.’