The ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Amani National Congress (ANC) parties have announced plans to merge into one political party.
This follows a meeting between the two parties' senior leaders at State House in Nairobi on Wednesday, chaired by UDA President William Ruto and Chairperson Cecily Mbarire, as well as their ANC counterparts Issa Timamy and Kevin Lunani.
Timamy later told newsrooms that the merger was intended to promote national unity and progressive democratic administration.
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As a result, the two parties agreed to create a joint implementation committee of political and legal experts to facilitate the merger.
“President William Ruto affirmed his unwavering dedication to the national interest and the need for Kenya to maintain a trajectory of economic reform, which though currently painful, would yield fruits and lead to transformative progress for the nation insisting that consolidating political parties will reduce internal conflicts and give room for effective service delivery to the citizens,” Timamy said in the statement.
“The President also revealed that the discussion between him and the Prime Cabinet Secretary on the ANC and UDA merger started long time ago with the aim of building a more cohesive and united Kenya.”
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, the ANC's immediate previous leader, emphasized the necessity of the two political parties working together to establish an inclusive alliance and strengthen democracy.
“The two political parties affirmed that combining the strengths, resources, and expertise will create a formidable political force better equipped to address national challenges,” added Timamy, also the Lamu Governor.
