Win for UDA as Raila allies defect

President William Ruto has pulled the rag from under the feet of Opposition chief Raila Odinga after 30 leaders defected to his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.

At the same time, Ruto has convinced eight ODM senators and MPs to work with his government, further weakening Raila’s stranglehold of his Nyanza political base.

And it was a good day for UDA on Tuesday when a group of the region’s politicians who have been coalescing around ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo abandoned their parties to join the President’s party.

The defections came a day after Owalo and Interior PS Raymond Omollo led the group to a meeting with the President at State House Nairobi for the second day this week, where they promised to work with UDA.

During the State House visit on Monday, the leaders including former governors Evans Kidero (Nairobi), Okoth Obado (Migori) and Jack Ranguma of Kisumu, said they would mobilise the region to embrace Ruto. 

Others who attended the State House meeting were Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Agency chairman Odoyo Owidi and former MPs Edick Anyanga, and former legislators Martin Ogindo, John Pesa, Rose Nyamunga and Nicholas Gumbo. The Standard has established that the President has prioritised countering the threats Raila is posing to his administration through protests by weakening him in Nyanza and his traditional support bases.

In the region, the President is banking on a group of elected and former elected leaders to lure the Nyanza base to back his administration and reject Raila.

While using the development card as a bait, sources familiar with the talks between the President’s team and the defectors, claim the ultimate goal is to rally the entire Nyanza to back the Kenya Kwanza’s administration and neutralise Raila’s influence.

This is the reason behind the back-to-back meetings between the President, senior officials from his administration and a number of leaders from Nyanza.

Interviews with several leaders who met Ruto this week established that countering the ODM leader and fronting development in Nyanza are at the core of their goals.

During the meeting, leaders reportedly discussed how best to change Nyanza’s political and development narrative to help steer the President’s agenda in the region.

Major force

Eclipsing ODM that has been a force to reckon with in Nyanza for 17 years was top agenda amid efforts to transform UDA into a powerful political vehicle across the country.

Mr Owidi said they resolved to maintain peace as a way of counteracting demonstrations spearheaded by Azimio.

“What we agreed on is that we are going to preach peace in various forums in Nyanza. We do not want violence,” Owidi said.

Former Nyatike MP Anyanga said: “As we speak here, we have already joined UDA with our supporters at the grassroots.”

Mr Gumbo said Nyanza must take its place among other regions and be part of the country’s development agenda. President Ruto had earlier told the leaders that it was now an opportunity to change politics of Nyanza to that of development.

“We now have the opportunity to do the right thing for the people of Nyanza,” he said.

President Ruto promised that his administration will not discriminate against any region based on how they voted in the last elections.

While receiving the defectors yesterday, UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala said all the individuals joined the party willingly.

“These leaders have independently decided to join UDA. This is no longer an exercise of crossing the floor by members of other parties but the spreading of the carpet wide enough for each person to feel the warmth,’’ Malala said.

Kidero said the top leadership in Nyanza was well represented as they are now part of a party that believes in unity and peace.

“We are joining a party that cares about its people,” Kidero said. He added: “We’ve heard about maandamano (protests) and it is the common man who suffers.”

Ranguma said: “Our people had already moved to UDA ahead of us. We want a handshake with the people not a few chosen individuals.’’

The new members are now expected to join the rest and participate in UDA activities, including the upcoming party grassroots elections in August.

At the same time, six political parties under Kenya Kwanza Alliance –  Umoja na Maendeleo Party led by former governor Martin Wambora, the Farmers Party of Kenya led by former PS Irungu Nyakera, Economic Freedom Party led by Isaac Hassan Abey, Chama cha Mashinani led by Mohamed Gulei, the National Agenda Party led by Alfayo Agufana and Chama Cha Kazi Party of James Kimani also folded up to join UDA.

According to Malala, all members from the new parties will have to first formalise their engagement with UDA by going through the Registrar of Political Parties.

“We have sat down with the eight political parties in UDA and have discussed that we need one umbrella that is going to help our president to put his agenda and mind set in that umbrella as we prepare for the 2027 politics,” he said.

The consolidation of UDA into a mega party is happening at a time Azimio has piled up pressure by mobilising supporters to protest against the rising cost of living.

The ruling party has already established an office in Kisumu with the aim of signing up 250,000 new members. Malala has since said the offices will be established in other parts of Western and Nyanza.

At the weekend, Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda led a team of MCAs to a rally in Nyakach where they rallied residents to back President Ruto’s government.

[Grace Ng’ang’a, Harold Odhiambo and James Omoro]