- The new board under Mwaura will be tasked with overseeing the party elections that have now been staggered for a period of four months.
- The party elections will be conducted electronically to avert claims of manipulation and rigging.
Image: FILE
President William Ruto's UDA party has unveiled new members of the National Elections Board, retaining only two ahead of party polls.
In the changes, UDA retained Kenya Revenue Authority Chairperson and long-time ally Anthony Mwaura as the board's chairperson and member Halake Dida.
The president's move to retain Mwaura could be a sign of his confidence in the man who oversaw the UDA primaries ahead of the 2022 general election.
Mwaura was on November 24, 2022, sworn in as the new KRA chairman and took over from Francis Muthaura whose tenure came to an end.
Named new members of the new UDA elections board include Veronica Kiberenge, Lydia Munika, Jimmy Kaingi, Mary Mutinga and Linda Kiome.
Former members are Salome Beacco, Aurelia Rono, Ummi Bashir, Matiko Chacha, Raphael Chimera.
The changes to the UDA elections board were made on Tuesday when President Ruto chaired the party's National Steering Committee at the Hustler Centre, the headquarters.
The new team will be tasked with overseeing the party's first grassroots and national election set to begin later this month.
The elections were planned to begin on April 12 but will start on April 26, 2024, staggered starting with seven counties.
In a statement on Tuesday, UDA secretary general Cleopas Malala said the first phase of the elections will include Nairobi, Narok, West-Pokot, Busia, Homabay, Isiolo and Garissa.
The party will then move to hold elections in some of its strongholds on June 22, in 13 counties.
The counties in the second phase include Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Nyandarua, Tharaka Nithi, Machakos, Kisii, Bungoma, Siaya, Taita Taveta, Wajir, Tana River, Kwale and Marsabit.
The third phase will see 15 more counties hold grassroots polls on August 10, 2024.
The counties in this phase will be Kiambu, Embu, Kericho, Meru, Migori, Kakamega, Nyamira, Kitui, Elgeyo Marakwet, Samburu, Kajiado, Mandera, Kilifi, Murang’a and Lamu.
The last phase will take place on August 24, 2024, in 12 counties namely; Nakuru, Bomet, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Nandi, Baringo, Turkana, Laikipia, Trans-Nzoia, Kisumu, Vihiga and Makueni