President William Ruto may be facing challenges in keeping his UDA party unified, as a prominent Nairobi legislator has threatened to lead a significant exodus from the party.
Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, who is running for the UDA party chairmanship in Nairobi County, issued the threat following allegations of a scheme to sideline him from the position, despite his claim of having the support of the majority of delegates.
Gakuya, an ally of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, stated that he would not permit any attempts to exclude him through a consensus process instead of a fair and democratic election. His remarks came after the UDA party leadership decided to postpone the Nairobi county elections indefinitely, causing confusion among candidates and delegates.
However, during a meeting with over 200 delegates at Kasarani Stadium, Gakuya stood firm, warning that any attempts to exclude him from the post would be met with total rebellion. He added that he is prepared to lead a mass walkout from the party. Gakuya is facing off against Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja, who is a vocal critic of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
"We want freedom of the members and fair and free elections. I am finding a situation where we are going to part ways soon because you can't build a party that you are not recognised as shareholders" warned Gakuya
Did you read this?
He accused Sakaja of allegedly securing the loyalty of Nairobi county MCAs, asserting that there is no scenario in which the MCAs would move to impeach Sakaja. Sakaja is reported to be enjoying President Ruto's backing, while Gakuya is supported by DP Gachagua.
However, Gakuya dismissed claims that he is being sponsored by Gachagua to vie for the chairperson position, emphasizing that he has been in politics long enough to make independent decisions. The elections are expected to be held today, Friday.
