United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has dismissed former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s letter resigning from the ruling party as null and void.
In a statement a few hours after Gachagua’s letter announcing his exit from President William Ruto's party, UDA termed his resignation as null and void, as Gachagua’s removal as deputy party leader, following his impeachment, automatically ended his membership in the party.
"The ruling party, United Democratic Alliance (UDA), officially removed one, Rigathi Gachagua, as its Deputy Party Leader, which automatically revoked his membership," part of the statement.
"Today's long paragraphs and 'exit' from the party amount to mere theatrics, hence, inconsequential! Furthermore, the custodian of political parties' membership is the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), and that's where the resignation ought to have been directed. It is null and void!"
In a letter to the Office of Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) on January 22, the party announced a change in the deputy party leader, naming Deputy President Kithure Kindiki as a replacement for Gachagua.
According to the letter, the decision was reached during a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on November 11, 2024.
Seven months after his impeachment, Gachagua wrote a letter announcing his resignation from the party, something that the ruling party has since dismissed as inconsequential.
"By a copy of this letter, you are notified that I have officially resigned from the UDA Party with immediate effect," Gachagua said in his letter.
In his letter, Gachagua outlined reasons for his departure, claiming that the Kenya Kwanza administration had failed in its mandate to fulfil the campaign promises to Kenyans.
Highlighting the party's manifesto promises such as ensuring unity of the country, prosperity, justice and economic inclusion, he stated that they had been replaced by "retrogressive philosophy".
He further termed the five pillars of the Kenya Kwanza development blueprint — Agriculture, MSMEs, Housing, Healthcare, and the Digital Economy as mere "centres of crime with no tangible gains".
Other sectors he claimed to have failed were agriculture, healthcare and housing.
