Politics

UDA grassroots elections set for May 18 in five Kamukunji wards

National Election Board chairman, Anthony Mwaura. (Handout)

By Mary Wambui | Thursday, May 16, 2024

Mwaura said the elections will coincide with those of other wards in Nairobi, Narok, West Pokot, Homa Bay and Busia counties which were cancelled due to flash floods.

The ruling party, United Democratic Alliance (UDA) will be holding its grassroots leadership elections in the five Kamukunji Constituency's wards on May 18, following applications by eligible members.

The wards are California, Airbase, Pumwani, Eastleigh North and Eastleigh South.

The party's National Election Board chairman, Anthony Mwaura, said the elections will coincide with those of other wards in Nairobi, Narok, West Pokot, Homa Bay and Busia counties which were cancelled due to flash floods.

Keep reading

Elected and nominated MCAs are amongst those eligible to contest for the positions whose elections will be held in designated centres.

"Eligible voters include elected polling centre delegates from the grassroots election conducted on April 26, May 4 and May 5 respectively in the aforementioned counties, as well as nominated and elected members of the County Assembly," Mwaura said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.

Party positions up for grabs include Chairperson and deputy chairperson, secretary, treasurer and organising secretary.

Others are; youth, women, persons living with disabilities, MSMEs, farmers, religious groups and professionals' representatives. Another additional seven members of mixed gender will be elected.

In the Pumwani ward, the elections will be held at Heshima Primary, Eastleigh North will hold theirs at the New Eastleigh Primary School, Eastleigh South will hold elections at Zawadi Primary School while the Airbase ward will hold their elections at Maina Wanjigi Secondary School.

The party is expected to announce the constituency election results on May 25 and will allow time for dispute filing and resolutions.

Two weeks ago, the party's Electoral and Nomination Dispute Resolution Committee (ENDRC) received a total of 209 disputes from the April 26 party elections, all of which were later dismissed.

Last week, the party nullified the results of the repeat elections held on May 4 in two polling centres citing substantiated instances of electoral malpractice.

These were Entiyani polling centre in Olokurto ward in Narok North and Mosiro polling station, Mosiro ward in Narok East constituency.

"In pursuit of equity, fairness and justice, it is imperative to conduct repeat elections in the aforementioned areas," Mwaura said at the time.

In Nairobi County, Governor Johnson Sakaja is eyeing the county chairmanship which is also being contested for by the Embakasi North MP James Gakuya.