President William Ruto’s party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), has cancelled the repeat elections in Kamkunji Constituency, even as tensions within the ruling party continue to rise.
The elections, initially slated for Thursday, June 6, at the Hustler Centre starting at 9am, were called off due to what the party described as “unavoidable circumstances.”
In a public notice issued on Wednesday evening, UDA National Elections Board (NEB) Chairman Anthony Mwaura announced the cancellation. “Due to unavoidable circumstances, the repeat election for the religious position in Kamkunji Constituency will not take place as planned,” Mwaura stated.
He further expressed regret over the inconvenience caused and assured that additional information regarding the rescheduling of the election would be communicated soon.
This development follows an earlier announcement by the party last month to conduct repeat nomination exercises in both Starehe and Kamukunji constituencies.
These repeats were necessitated by disruptions caused by violence. The party is currently investigating these violent incidents and has pledged to hold any responsible candidates accountable.
The abrupt cancellation has raised questions and concerns among party members and the public. Many are awaiting the results of the party's investigation into the violence that marred the previous election attempts. The outcome of this investigation is critical as it could lead to significant repercussions for those found culpable.
On Wednesday, UDA also revealed the results of the Friday polls for MPs contesting for constituency chairmanship seats. According to Chairman Mwaura, MPs James Gakuya (Embakasi North), John Kiarie (Dagoretti North), and Johana Ngeno (Emurua Dikirr) emerged victorious in their respective constituencies.
These results have set the stage for intense competition in the upcoming county polls, with some sitting MPs now eyeing county chairperson positions and other highly contested slots declared by the party.
Mwaura announced that the National Elections Board (NEB) will soon notify all elected constituency delegates from phase one of the grassroots elections about the date and venue for the scheduled county elections across the respective counties.
Meanwhile, the party’s Electoral and Disputes Resolution Committee is set to address any disputes arising from the recently concluded constituency elections.
UDA is grappling with internal turmoil. Its senior leadership, divided between backing President William Ruto or his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, is locked in disputes over the upcoming party elections slated for this Friday. Amidst this tension, some factions are even considering abandoning the party.
Previously, the UDA aimed to defy the trend of political parties averse to internal elections by organising the Nairobi County chairmanship elections on June 7. However, this plan now teeters on the brink of uncertainty.
