President William Ruto’s ruling United Democratic Alliance party has yet again skipped Mt Kenya in its latest grassroots elections schedule.
This is the second time the outfit is omitting the vote-rich region, a move many believe is occasioned by declining popularity of the party following Ruto’s nasty fallout with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The ruling party on Thursday released a schedule for the second phase of the grassroots exercise, but conspicuously missing are counties in Gachagua’s backyard.
This is despite the fact that last year’s schedule had listed nine Mt Kenya counties.
Gachagua, last week, during an interview with Kikuyu vernacular stations, said he will unveil a new outfit for the region in May.
UDA’s grassroots poll schedule says the second leg of election will be conducted in 22 counties on April 11 and April 12.
UDA’s National Election Board chairperson Antony Mwaura, in a statement to newsrooms, said elections will be held on Friday, April 11, in Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Kajiado, Turkana, Kisii, Nyamira, Bungoma, Migori, Siaya and Kisumu counties.
The polls will continue the following day in Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Isiolo, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu and Tana River counties.
“The National Election Board of the United Democratic Alliance hereby issues an official notice regarding the phase two polling centre-level grassroots elections scheduled for April 11 and 12, 2025,” Mwaura said.
Initially, Ruto’s party had lined Nyandarua, Tharaka Nithi, Kiambu, Embu, Meru, Murang’a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Laikipia for the second phase of the exercise, which was to take place last year.
According to the party, the two-day exercise is open to all aspiring candidates.
This is the first time UDA, formed in 2021, is holding grassroots polls. Some 586,000 party positions will be on ballots. The party will be electing officials countrywide from the ward level to the national level.
Elections will culminate in national delegates conventions where members will elect national officials based on grassroots elections outcomes.
The elections are part of leaders’ efforts to revamp, rejuvenate and strengthen party structures and enhance grassroots networks ahead of the 2027 general election.
Their conduct will help shape perceptions of the parties’ competence and integrity.
In June last year, the party postponed grassroots elections in 14 counties.
