The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has appointed KRA Chair Anthony Mwaura as the chairman of the party National Elections Board, and KPLC Board Chair Joy Mdivo as the head of the Electoral Dispute Resolution Committee for party elections that are to be held from April 26 to August 24, 2024.
The elections have been staggered in four phases beginning April 26 to August 24, and various party organs have been constituted ahead of the polls.
The announcement followed the National Steering Committee meeting chaired by Dr Ruto - who is the party leader – at the party’s headquarters in Nairobi on Tuesday.
“The Party Leader, H.E President William Ruto, chaired a meeting of the National Steering Committee (NSC), sitting on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC). The NSC was sitting to deliberate on the upcoming party grassroots election as well as the constitution of relevant party organs,” party chairperson Ms Cecily Mbarire said.
The UDA party, she noted, is determined to conduct a free and fair grassroots election in all Counties.
“The election will be conducted electronically and undertaken in four phases,” she announced.
Phase one of the elections will be conducted on April 26 and will see Nairobi, Narok, West-Pokot, Busia, Homa Bay, Isiolo and Garissa go to the ballot.
The party announced that phase two of the elections will take place on June 22 in Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Nyandarua, Tharaka Nithi, Machakos, Kisii, Bungoma, Siaya, Taita Taveta, Wajir, Tana River, Kwale and Marsabit.
Ms Mbarire said that phase 3 of the polls will be conducted on August 10 in Kiambu, Embu, Kericho, Meru, Migori, Kakamega, Nyamira, Kitui, Elgeyo Marakwet, Samburu, Kajiado, Mandera, Kilifi, Murang’a and Lamu.
Phase 4 slated for August 24 will see the polls held in Nakuru, Bomet, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Nandi, Baringo, Turkana, Laikipia, Trans-Nzoia, Kisumu, Vihiga and Makueni counties.
“Upon completion of the grassroots elections in all the counties, UDA will conduct county and national election by December 2024,” Ms Mbarire announced.
She disclosed that the NSC also constituted its seven-member National Elections Board (NEB) to run the polls and it will be steered by Kenya Revenue Authority Board chairman Anthony Mwaura as the chair, and deputised by Veronica Kiberenge.
Other NEB members are; Lydia Munika, Jimmy Kaingi, Mary Mutinga, Halake Dida and Linda Kiome.
“Cognisant of the likelihood of electoral dispute, the NSC has also constituted Electoral Disputes Resolutions Committee (EDRC) AND Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC) to handle matters of the election disputes,” Ms Mbarire noted.
EDRC has Joy Mdivo as chairperson and Dr. Adrian Kamotho as Vice-Chairperson while Hellen Makone, Yvonne Cherop Kae, Dr. Duncan Ojwang, Dr. Kaberia Isaac, Barbra Japan, Anjichi Joseph and Ziporah Karimi Muiruri are members.
IDRC will be chaired by Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei and includes; Hassan Omar, Dr. Joshua On’gera, Leah Manyarkiy, Samuel Kariuki, Bishop Robert Theuri and Ronald Shako.
