Kimani Ngunjiri Exits UDA, Accuses Party of Sidelining Loyalists

Former Bahati member of parliament Kimani Ngunjiri has announced his departure from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.

In a radio interview on Wednesday morning, the staunch Ruto supporter lamented the lack of recognition in UDA. He stated that he would no longer seek any elected position under the party's banner, stating, "I want to make it known to the media and everyone in Kenya that I am no longer a member of UDA. I will no longer associate myself with the colour yellow." Ngunjiri emphasizes that he will continue to support the president despite his decision to part ways with the UDA.

However, he expresses disappointment with the party's internal allocation of positions, questioning why he was excluded despite his commitment to the party. Without directly accusing anyone, Ngunjiri points out that individuals who did not actively support the party during the last election have been rewarded with government jobs, while loyalists like himself remain unemployed.

"Where do I stand in all of this?" he questions.

Ngunjiri's departure from the UDA comes after he was one of the 50 individuals appointed by Ruto in March of last year to serve as Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs). Originally, he was assigned to be the CAS for Lands, and after taking the oath of office, he expressed his gratitude and pride in serving under this government. However, a series of legal battles initiated by various individuals questioning the constitutionality of CAS positions has prevented them from assuming their roles.

In response to these legal challenges, Ruto allocated different responsibilities to some of the appointees. For instance, former Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi has been designated Kenya's ambassador to Kampala, Uganda. Maangi was to serve as the CAS in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Similarly, former West Mugirango MP Vincent Kemosi was selected as Kenya's ambassador to Accra, Ghana, and former Kisumu Senator Fred Outa was appointed as the ambassador to Cairo, Egypt.

Meanwhile, President William Ruto's UDA party has unveiled a revised schedule for its grassroots elections in a second attempt to carry out this contentious process. Ruto is confronted with the challenge of conducting democratic party elections, a task that his political rival Raila Odinga is also facing. However, both appear prepared to face the difficulties and divisions that typically arise during party polls. The ODM experienced a setback in 2014 when their attempt was foiled by the notorious 'men in black'.