Elections.
UDA party delegates in Homa Bay county went to the polls Sunday to elect twenty officials to coordinate the party affairs in the county. The Party concluded its grass root elections in Home Bay County on Monday as one of the strategies for battling ODM party in its stronghold.
The Party’s National Election Board representative Halakhe Dida said the election was free, fair and verifiable and would strengthen the party in the county.
The officials elected included County Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and other 17 officials. Dida said the election was conducted peacefully and that a total of 159 delegates participated in the exercise.
He said they had a total of 44 candidates vying various positions in the election. Dida said every delegate got an opportunity to cast their vote electronically and that there were no technical hitches experienced during the election.
“The election has taken place in a peaceful environment and every delegate had an opportunity to cast their vote.” Dida said. He expressed optimism that the conducive environment experienced during the voting exercise would enable the will of the people to prevail.
“The transparency in the election will enable the majority to have their way and the minority to support the winners for the party to grow stronger,” Dida said. Former ODM leader Raila Odinga’s aide Silus Jakakimba who decamped to UDA expressed hope that the election would enable UDA to outshine ODM party in membership registration in the county.
Jakakimba said UDA had put in place working systems to ensure it gains ground in the county.
“UDA has already elected its officials at the polling station, ward, all the eight constituencies in Homa Bay and we are doing the county elections today. The structures will enable it to outwit ODM both in membership and political seats come the next general election,” Jakakimba said.
Jakakimba who was vying the post of UDA secretary in the county said the stiff competition he was facing was an indicator that UDA had become strong in the county. “I am facing a stiff competition in this race because UDA is becoming stronger by the day. I urge Homa Bay residents to join UDA because the party leader, President William Ruto, means well for us,” Jakakimba said.
Kennedy Obuya who vied for the party Chairmanship expressed confidence that UDA would register more than 300,000 members by 2027. “We are committed to undertaking membership registration and we are going to resume immediately after the elections,” Obuya said.