Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has filed a petition at the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Disputes Resolutions Committee to remove Cleophas Malala as the party's Secretary General.
In the petition which UDA was named as an interested party, the lawmaker accused Malala of taking advantage of his position to exploit the situations that would be beneficial to him at the detriment of the Petitioners and other party members.
He also accused him of usurping the powers and functions of the National Elections Board, the only organ within the party that is mandated to deal with the matters of internal party elections.
"The Petitioners will suffer irreparable personal loss and prejudice if the Honorable Committee does not intervene," read the statement in part
Khalwale lamented that the respondent had hired regional and county managers to conduct the forthcoming grassroots elections which are scheduled to take place on December 9, 2023.
The aggrieved argued that the decision to hire was made without any evidence of consultation with other key party organs such as the National Executive Committee and the National Elections Board.
"The Respondent overstepped his mandate and usurped the roles and mandate of the National Elections Board," added the letter.
"By overstepping his mandate and usurping the mandate of the National Elections Board, it is quite clear that the Respondent is bent on compromising the process by appointing his cronies and friends as election management officials."
As a result, Khalwale asked the committee to issue an injunction to restrain Malala from exercising the functions of the Office of the Secretary General of UDA.
Khalwale filed the petition alongside Walter Mkinginyi Trenk.
The petition comes weeks after Malala and Khalwale fell out after the latter challenged the former's directive asking all parties allied to UDA to dissolve their outfits and join the ruling coalition.
“Those who joined us recently like Malala have much to do to prove themselves as legitimate UDA members. This is why he is keen on telling his former party ANC to fold but he should let Ford-Kenya be and concentrate on ANC if that will win him legitimacy and trust among UDA members,“ lamented Khalwale at the time.
