5 Parties Fold to Join UDA After Ruto Pressure

President William Ruto addressing UDA delegated in July 2022.
President William Ruto addressing UDA delegates in Kasarani in July 2022.
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William Ruto

Five parties that form part of the Kenya Kwanza administration on Tuesday, March 14, heeded United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General Cleophas Malala's call to fold their parties. 

According to reports, the parties include Umoja na Maendeleo party, Farmers party, Chama cha Mashinani, National Agenda party and Economic Freedom party. 

The move came amidst calls by UDA party leadership for parties within the Kenya Kwanza administration to fold and join UDA in a bid to present a unified front for the 2027 General Election.

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General Cleophas Malala (centre) addresses the media at UDA offices on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General Cleophas Malala (centre), flanked by affiliate party leaders, addresses the media at UDA offices on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.
UDA

Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria's Chama cha Kazi had already folded and joined the ruling party in October 2022 ahead of his appointment to the position.

During a church service on Sunday, March 5, Malala reiterated his call for senior government officials clinging to their parties to dissolve their political outfits and embrace a united front in government.

“You cannot be in Cabinet and still belong to another political party. That is contempt to our President. All parties in Kenya Kwanza must dissolve, join UDA and have just one strong party,” Malala pointed out. 

The call was, however, disregarded by Amani National Congress (ANC) party leadership who maintained their stance of running an independent party.

According to ANC party leader Issa Timamy, they would soon conduct grassroots registration of its members. 

“We are not going to fold our party. If anything, we are planning to rejuvenate and strengthen our party from the grassroots levels. ANC will remain vibrant,” Timamy pointed out during a press briefing in Vihiga on March 12, 2023.

On the other hand, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua assured Kenya Kwanza affiliate parties that they would not be coerced to fold and join UDA. He affirmed that the merger would take place voluntarily.

"Probably his style is a little bit different. I have discussed with him, we do not want to coerce anybody to fold up.

"We are happy with existing framework, but if along the way the constituent parties consider that it is desirable to fold up and join UDA, so be it," Gachagua stated during a joint-media briefing on Sunday, March 12. 

Gachagua and Ruto in Tharaka Nithi
President William Ruto (Right) and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua during a thanksgiving service in Tharaka Nithi County on Sunday, March 12, 2023.
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RIGATHI GACHAGUA