The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is embroiled in a series of internal conflicts and controversies that threaten to undermine its unity and public image.
The turmoil began with contradictory statements regarding the postponement of constituency-level elections in West Pokot County and has since escalated to allegations of social media account hacking and internal power struggles involving key party figures.
The Initial Conflict
The chaos began on May 30, 2024, when UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malalah issued a notice announcing the postponement of constituency-level elections in West Pokot County.
He attributed this decision to a complaint filed on May 21, 2024, highlighting significant issues that warranted further investigation.
Malalah's statement directed the National Elections Board to halt all elections in the affected constituencies until a ruling could be delivered by the Electoral and Nomination Disputes Resolution Committee.
However, this directive was swiftly countered by the Chairperson of the National Elections Board, Anthony Mwaura, who declared Malalah's notice "null and void."
Mwaura emphasized that the National Elections Board is the only authorized body to manage party elections, per Article 21 of the UDA constitution.
He confirmed that all constituency-level elections would proceed as scheduled, dismissing any contrary orders as unlawful.
The situation took another twist when the UDA Executive Director, Nicodemus Bore, issued a public notice reinforcing Mwaura's stance.
Bore stated that the responsibility for elections lies solely with the National Elections Board and advised party members to disregard any notices from other offices.
Dr. Adrian Kamotho, Vice Chairperson of the Electoral and Nomination Disputes Resolution Committee (ENDRC), also issued a statement claiming that the court order referenced by Malalah was fake.
Dr. Kamotho clarified that the ENDRC had not issued any such order, further discrediting Malalah's notice.
Allegations of Hacking and Internal Power Struggles
The drama intensified when Malalah later recorded a video alleging that the UDA Facebook page had been hacked by an unknown individual working in the office of the president.
In his video, Malalah urged the public to ignore any communication from the UDA Facebook page, claiming that reports had been made to Facebook administrators to address the hacking issue.
"I would like to urge the general public to ignore any communication moving forward. We have made reports to Facebook administrators that our account has been hacked. Anything you see being posted on that page should be ignored and I am sure our social media handles will be restored in a short while," Malalah said.
This claim was promptly contradicted by Dennis Itumbi, a prominent figure within the party, who reassured the public that UDA's social media pages were secure.
Itumbi's statement urged people to disregard any claims suggesting otherwise, thus directly challenging Malalah's assertions.
Implications and Reactions
The conflicting statements and allegations of hacking have left UDA members and the general public in a state of confusion.
The internal disputes reveal significant rifts within the party's leadership, potentially undermining its cohesion and effectiveness.
These developments come at a critical time for UDA, as the party prepares for upcoming elections.
The public display of discord and the involvement of individuals close to the presidency add a layer of political intrigue to the unfolding drama.
This latest drama comes just days after the party secretary general issued a warning to key figures withing the party such as Public Service CS Moses Kuria, Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen, Governor Mutahi Kahiga, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and Githunguri MP Gathoni Wa Muchomba