The United Democratic Movement (UDM) party has joined the Kenya Kwanza Alliance giving President-elect William Ruto a substantial boost.
Seven Members Parliament (MP), two senators, two governors and 35 Members of County Assembly (MCA) they include Party Leader and Mandera Senator-Elect Ali Roba, Deputy Party Leader and Marsabit Governor-Elect Mohamud Ali and Mandera Governor-Elect Mohamed Adan Khalif who were present at Ruto’s Karen Residence, Nairobi.
“We salute the United Democratic Movement (UDM) leadership for abandoning Azimio La Umoja and joining Kenya Kwanza. UDM Party Leader and Mandera Senator-Elect Ali Roba, Deputy Party Leader and Marsabit Governor-Elect Mohamud Ali, and Mandera Governor-Elect Mohamed Adan Khalif were present at the Karen Residence, Nairobi County,” Ruto said.
However, UDM legally remains in the Azimio-One Kenya coalition when determining which alliance has the majority of votes to pick a Majority Leader and Minority Leader.
Their approach could derail the Azimio candidate for Speaker in the National Assembly, where they have a majority of legislators.
Others were Deputy Governor-Elect Mandera Ali Maalim, Wajir Senator-Elect Abbas Sheikh, MPs Umulkheir Kassim (Mandera), Bashir Abdullahi (Mandera North), Kullow Hassan (Banisa), Joseph Lekuton (Laisamis), Mangale Munga Chiforomodo (Lunga Lunga), AbdulEnrahim Haro (Mandera South) and Adan Haji (Mandera West).
The defections will automatically affect the Azimio coalition as they initially garnered 162 members in both Houses of Parliament compared to Kenya Kwanza’s 159.
In a letter to the Registrar of Political Parties dated April 14, this year, the UDM Party opposed the gazettement of Azimio One Kenya council members without their involvement in the process.
“The party raises concern that it is not being engaged in critical meetings and decisions which bear great impact on the coalition. The party is yet to formally receive a copy of the coalition agreement documents sent by all parties to the coalition,” the letter read in part.
“We register our concern that the United democratic movement was not engaged, consulted, nor involved in the creation of the council and in the nomination of the office bearers to the coalition council and the national executive coalition council. Such appointments should be consultative, democratic and transparent,” they said.