William Ruto cracks whip on errant UDA members

Deputy President William Ruto has ordered his allies to stop endorsing one another in public amid fears of favouritism ahead of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) primaries.

A number of UDA members yesterday confirmed to the Nation that they had been told to stop openly supporting aspirants, as that may be interpreted to mean that some have already bagged the UDA ticket.

“However, in areas where there is only one UDA aspirant, he has no problem campaigning for that person,” Keiyo South MP Daniel Rono explained.

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa also confirmed the DP’s order: “The DP has called for establishment of a disciplinary committee in UDA that will be enforcing the party’s decisions, including monitoring hate speech.

Those who do not obey the rules may not be cleared to participate in the primaries,” said Mr Barasa.

As the party spreads it tentacles across the country, how it conducts its primaries will, by the DP’s own admission, be a make-or-break moment. While campaigning in Sirisia, Bungoma County, recently, Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata urged residents to re-elect area MP John Waluke come August 9.

Embrace impartiality

On Tuesday, however, Mr Kang’ata said UDA leaders had agreed to embrace impartiality in order not to taint the party’s image ahead of primaries. He defended UDA members’ rights to endorse whomever they like as long as they are speaking on their own behalf and not voicing the official position of the party.

“We have freedom of expression as elected leaders [so long as] the endorsements are not party positions but personal views,” he said.

During the DP’s tour of Bumula in Bungoma County, Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali, who has declared that he will not be defending his seat in the August polls, endorsed MP Mwambu Mabonga and called for a six-piece UDA vote.

A number of endorsements were made during the DP’s ‘big day’ in Eldoret on Saturday, which was attended by one chief administrative secretary, six governors and 91 MPs. These were mainly made by lawmakers who are going for gubernatorial seats.

Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago endorsed Ms Faith Gitau (Nyandarua), Susan Kihika (Nakuru), Aisha Jumwa (Malindi) and former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar, among others, for governorship, despite the DP’s warning. Small affiliate parties seem to have exposed the soft underbelly of UDA.

Ruto’s endorsement

This was made clear by voters on Monday during a rally at Bomet Green Stadium attended by the DP.

Speakers told the DP that his push for “six-piece suit” voting in favour of UDA would be a tall order in regions such as Bomet, where Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) has deep roots.

UDA Chairman Johnson Muthama yesterday told the Nation that, for the sake of party unity before and after the primaries, no one would be favoured.

“I want to see our candidates being approved solely by the voters,” he said. Fears of favouritism in UDA were triggered by the DP’s endorsement of Mr Kang’ata for Murang’a governor, Senator Kihika for Nakuru governor and Mr Edward Muriu for the Gatanga parliamentary seat.

UDA aspirants have been piling pressure on the DP and the party for assurance that they would not be short-changed in the primaries.  

Last October, Kwale gubernatorial hopeful Lung’anzi Mangale resolved to quit UDA following the DP’s endorsement of Deputy Governor Fatuma Achani to succeed Governor Salim Mvurya.

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