KRA chair Anthony Mwaura to oversee UDA grassroots elections

President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party has appointed Kenya Revenue Authority Chairperson Anthony Mwaura as the chairman of the party's National Elections Board.

The ruling party, in its preparation for upcoming grassroots polls countrywide, has also appointed Kenya Power and Lighting Company Board Chairperson Joy Mdivo as the head of the Electoral Dispute Resolution Committee for party elections.

To manage the elections effectively, the party has spread the elections in four phases, beginning April 26 and ending August 24, as various party organs have been constituted ahead of the polls.

The new appointments and the election dates were made following the National Steering Committee meeting chaired by Ruto at the party offices in Nairobi on Tuesday.

"The Party Leader, 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," said party chairperson Cecily Mbarire.

President William Ruto welcomed by his deputy Rigathi Gachagua and UDA Secretary General Cleopas Malala at Hustlers Centre, Nairobi, on April 2, 2024. (PCS)

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.

The initial phase of the highly anticipated polls will be conducted on April 26 and will have Nairobi, Narok, West-Pokot, Busia, Homa Bay, Isiolo, and Garissa go to the ballot.

For the second phase, Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Nyandarua, Tharaka Nithi, Machakos, Kisii, Bungoma, Siaya, Taita Taveta, Wajir, Tana River, Kwale, and Marsabit will go to the polls on June 22.

The Embu Governor also announced 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.

The last phase of the elections will be slated for August 24 and will have Nakuru, Bomet, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Nandi, Baringo, Turkana, Laikipia, Trans-Nzoia, Kisumu, Vihiga and Makueni counties go to the ballot.

"Upon completion of the grassroots elections in all the counties, UDA will conduct county and national elections by December 2024," announced Mbarire.

President William Ruto, his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, and UDA party top leadership at Hustlers Centre, Nairobi, on April 2, 2024. (PCS)

She also said that the national steering committee of the party was constituted and has now got its seven-member National Elections Board (NEB) to run the elections.

KRA boss Mwaura will be deputised by Veronica Kiberenge in the UDA Party grassroots poll task.

Other NEB members are; Lydia Munika, Jimmy Kaingi, Mary Mutinga, Halake Dida, and Linda Kiome.

"Cognisant of the likelihood of an electoral dispute, the NSC has also constituted the Electoral Disputes Resolutions Committee (EDRC) and the Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC) to handle matters of the election disputes," said Mbarire.

The dispute committee comprises Joy Mdivo as chairperson and Dr Adrian Kamotho as vice chairperson.

Other members of the committee include Hellen Makone, Yvonne Cherop Kae, Dr Duncan Ojwang, Dr Kaberia Isaac, Barbra Japan, Anjichi Joseph and Ziporah Karimi Muiruri.

The Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC) of the party will have Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei as its chairperson, while Hassan Omar, Dr Joshua On'gera, Leah Manyarkiy, Samuel Kariuki, Bishop Robert Theuri and Ronald Shako will serve as members.