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Low voter turnout mars UDA grassroots elections in 18 counties
A member of the United Democratic Alliance votes during the party's grassroots elections at Uasin Gishu Primary School Polling Station in Turbo Constituency of Uasin Gishu County on March 14, 2026.
What you need to know:
- Deputy President Kithure Kindiki on Saturday defended the exercise, saying the hitches were minor and had been resolved.
- Polls are part of UDA’s strategy to consolidate its support base and reorganise leadership structures at the grassroots level.
President William Ruto’s ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) grassroots elections across 18 counties on Saturday were marked by low voter turnout and technical challenges with biometric identification systems in some polling stations.
Despite the challenges, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki on Saturday defended the exercise, saying the hitches were minor and had been resolved as the ruling party moved to strengthen its grassroots structures ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“This is an intense exercise. As a party, we can only be as strong if we have grassroots leaders who can strengthen the party,” Prof Kindiki said.
“We are not perfect, but the fact that we are doing this yet there are no other parties carrying it out should tell you that we are well prepared for the future that lies ahead,” he added.
The party has set aside Sh150 million to conduct the repeat Phase III grassroots polls across Kiambu, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Nyandarua, Embu, Meru, Samburu, Trans-Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi, Baringo, Laikipia, Kericho, Bomet and Vihiga counties.
The elections are part of UDA’s strategy to consolidate its support base and reorganise leadership structures at the grassroots level.
In Bomet County, the exercise recorded low voter turnout across several polling stations, although the process proceeded without major disruptions.
Leaders who monitored the exercise said the limited participation was partly due to the small number of positions being contested in the repeat elections.
Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei said the elections were conducted peacefully in the county’s five constituencies.
A member of the United Democratic Alliance votes during the party's grassroots elections at Uasin Gishu Primary School Polling Station in Turbo Constituency of Uasin Gishu County on March 14, 2026.
“The election went on without a hitch, with the low turnout dictated by the fact that few positions were up for grabs in the respective polling stations in the five sub-counties,” Mr Sigei said after monitoring the process at Kapsimotwo Primary School in Bomet Central.
Bomet Woman Representative Linet Chepkorir said the use of digital gadgets had improved transparency in the election process.
“The deployment of digital gadgets in the election process has made the exercise accountable and transparent. UDA has set a record by using a fully digitised system that has reinforced confidence in the election process,” she said after casting her vote at Bomet Municipal Hall.
She added that the South Rift region remained firmly behind President Ruto and the ruling party.
“It is clear that the people of the South Rift region are behind President William Ruto and the UDA party. There is no room for opposition parties here,” she said.
Several Members of Parliament, including Richard Kilel, Francis Sigei, Victor Koech, Richard Yegon and Brighton Yegon, monitored the elections in their constituencies.
Mr Kilel said the voting process had been smooth across polling stations he visited.
“I have been to various polling stations in the constituency and we have not experienced any hitch in the voting process,” he said.
In Uasin Gishu County, however, the elections were disrupted by technical challenges involving biometric identification systems, leaving hundreds of young supporters unable to vote.
According to local party officials, the biometric system failed to recognise many youths who obtained their national identity cards after the 2022 General Election because the system was linked to an older voter register.
At Uasin Gishu Primary School in Eldoret, one of the busiest polling centres, frustrated youth supporters were turned away after the system failed to verify their details.
Bomet Woman Representative Linet Chepkkorir casts her vote at Bomet Municipal Hall during the United Democratic Alliance party elections on March 14, 2026.
“I came here ready to exercise my right as a member of this party, but the machines have rejected my name. They are saying I didn’t participate in the 2022 elections,” said John Rono, a 21-year-old youth leader.
“How could I have voted in 2022 when I didn’t even have an ID then?” he asked.
Local UDA leader Abdikadir Kibet called for an audit of the electronic voting process, saying the technical hitch had affected many young supporters across the county.
“Hundreds of our youth supporters have been locked out. Most of these are the same young people who will be vital for the President’s re-election,” Mr Kibet said.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii acknowledged the technical glitches but praised residents for maintaining peace during the exercise.
“I have been traversing the county since morning and the competition for UDA positions at grassroots is high, as well as the energy to protect the integrity of our party,” he said.
Uasin Gishu County Governor Jonathan Bii (centre), addresses the media at Kapsang Primary School in Soy Constituency on the on-going UDA grassroots elections in the county on March 14, 2026.
However, he urged young people to register as voters with the electoral commission ahead of the next election cycle.
“My appeal to the youth supporting both myself and the President for a second term is simple: go and register with the IEBC as voters now. We need your numbers captured officially so you can re-elect us in 2027,” Mr Bii said.
UDA National Elections Board chair Anthony Mwaura on Friday said the party had prepared extensively for the exercise, with more than 500,000 candidates registered to contest 20 grassroots positions.
According to the party, about eight million members were expected to participate across 8,819 polling centres.
To manage the process, UDA deployed 9,000 electronic voting tablets, with results expected to be transmitted through an online portal on the party’s website.
“The results will be available to the public through a portal on the UDA website,” Mr Mwaura said during a media briefing ahead of the elections.
He added that the party had established a disputes resolution committee to handle any complaints arising from the exercise.
“The disputes resolution committee will hear any petitions, but all that I can assure you is that there will be no disputes since our election exercise is transparent and the results will be transmitted through the portal,” he said.
UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar said the grassroots polls were critical in strengthening the party’s political machinery ahead of the next electoral cycle.
“They keep on making noises on social media and media stations, but one thing they do not realise is that you cannot build a party through social media. You have to be on the ground at all times,” Mr Omar said.
“It is all about strategy and being focused. That is why we won all the by-elections. Those in the city can keep making noise, but those on the ground know that this government has impacted people’s lives,” he added.
The grassroots elections are expected to produce about 150,000 elected officials, who will form the foundation of UDA’s structures at the village and ward levels as the country gradually shifts focus toward the 2027 General Election.
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Reporting by Ndubi Moturi, Vitalis Kimutai, Titus Ominde
