Ruto approves changes in UDA constitution, handing DP Gachagua influence
President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua share a light moment during a Kenya Kwanza campaign rally at Karatina town on May 21, 2022.
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Executive Committee meeting chaired by President William Ruto has approved an amendment to the party constitution to create a single office of Deputy Party Leader.
The decision is a major win for Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who felt threatened by the creation of three deputy party leader positions.
In the approved amendment, the party has instead created two offices of Assistant Deputy Party Leaders to align the Party’s structural leadership with the national governance structure.
“The President and Party Leader of the UDA Party Chaired the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Friday. Among the issues discussed include the ongoing Grassroots Elections.
"The Committee applauded the National Elections Board for the successful commencement of the grassroots election that will continue in three different phases as scheduled,” said party Secretary General Cleophas Malala in a statement.
“The Committee also approved an amendment of the UDA Constitution to create one office of the Deputy Party Leader and two offices of Assistant Deputy Party Leader to align our Party’s structural leadership with the national governance structure,” said Mr Malala.
UDA constitution provides for three deputy party leaders – one in charge of Policy and Strategy, another in charge of Operations and the third one is responsible for the party Programs.
The move to amend the provision follows sustained push by politicians from Mt Kenya region for the party to have a single deputy leader position, which they want reserved for Mr Gachagua.
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Some of the Mt Kenya MPs recently claimed that having more than one deputy party leader could be a wider political plan targeted at clipping the influence of DP Gachagua with the 2032 succession politics at play.
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga led Mr Gachagua's brigade in demanding that the position of deputy party leader be reserved for DP Gachagua.
“There must be a party leader and a deputy party leader. The rest can be whatever they want to be and we are demanding that as UDA members,” said Mr Kahiga.
Mathira MP Eric Mwangi also made similar remarks by saying: “We only have one President who is the party leader and one Deputy President who should be the only deputy party leader.”
The demand to reserve the position for Mr Gachagua was triggered by remarks by Senate Majority Leader Boni Khalwale after he warned the second-in-command to prepare for a western region takeover of State House at the end of President Ruto’s presidency.
UDA MPs from western Kenya have been pushing for an expanded party structure.
