By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is set to get three new senior-most party leaders. This is after the party’s National Executive Committee approved a change to its constitution.
In a statement issued late on Friday, May 3, 2024, UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala said the NEC meeting that approved the changes was chaired by President William Ruto who is also the party leader.
The changes approved include the establishment of the office of the deputy party leader and two assistant deputy party leaders.
Currently, the UDA constitution only provides for the position of the party leader.
That will however change with the new approved changes.
“The @UDAKenya National Executive Committee APPROVED an amendment to the UDA Constitution to create ONE Office of the Deputy Party Leader and two offices of Assistant Deputy Party Leaders to align the Party’s structural leadership with the national governance structure,” party’s secretary general Cleophas Malala said.
It is expected that Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua will be filling up the new Deputy Party leader post.
The puzzle however remains with the assistant deputy party leader post.
A few weeks ago, there were claims that the Amani National Congress (ANC) had agreed to fold and join UDA.
It had also been alleged that ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi had been promised a senior UDA leadership role.
For now, it remains unclear if the new constitutional changes for the ruling party factored in ongoing efforts to ask Kenya Kwanza affiliate parties to fold and join them.
Other issues approved during the NEC meeting include budgetary appropriation, human resource placement as well as scheduled and outreach activities.
Ongoing grassroots elections for the party were also discussed.
“The committee noted the innovative and unprecedented technology voting system that the party has deployed in the ongoing grassroots elections,” Malaa said in the statement.
The party’s decision-making organ further approved reinforcement of the use of technology in the elections.
Last week, the party held elections in four counties. The next phase of the grassroots elections is set for June 2024.