Mount Kenya UDA Lawmakers Give Hassan Omar 48 Hours to Quit or Face Forcible Removal From Party

Tensions are escalating inside the ruling United Democratic Alliance after a faction of leaders allied to President William Ruto issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding the resignation of Secretary General Hassan Omar over what they term inflammatory and divisive remarks.

The revolt, led by Thika Town MP Alice Ng'ang'a and Kiambaa MP John Njuguna Kawanjiku, has exposed deep cracks within the party, with Mount Kenya leaders accusing Omar of undermining internal cohesion through controversial public statements.

In a strongly worded joint declaration on Wednesday, the legislators demanded Omar’s immediate and unconditional resignation, warning that failure to comply would trigger formal disciplinary action within the party structures.

“As leaders, we demand the immediate and unconditional resignation of Hassan Omar as Secretary General of the UDA Party,” the statement read.

The MPs further warned that if Omar does not step down within 48 hours, they will petition President Ruto to activate internal party organs to remove him from office.

“Should he fail to tender his resignation voluntarily within 48 hours, we will formally present a joint petition to our party leader to invoke our party organs to dismiss him from his position,” they added.

Omar came under fire following remarks made during President Ruto’s coastal tour, where he appeared to link the nationwide matatu strike to a specific region, comments that sparked immediate backlash and accusations of ethnic profiling.

Although he later issued a public apology, Omar maintained that his remarks were misinterpreted and taken out of context by political opponents.

However, his explanation has done little to calm tensions within the party. The dissenting MPs have now thrown their weight behind investigations initiated by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), urging the agency to pursue the matter to its conclusion, including possible prosecution.

“We fully support the probe by the NCIC and demand that criminal prosecution for hate speech and incitement be pursued to its conclusion,” the leaders stated.

The internal rebellion has also attracted attention from opposition figures, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has accused the ruling party of tolerating divisive rhetoric among its senior officials.

Political observers say the push to oust Omar reflects deeper strategic calculations within Mount Kenya leadership circles, with some leaders reportedly seeking to consolidate regional political influence ahead of future elections.

Omar, who has served as UDA Secretary General for less than two years, now finds himself at the centre of an intensifying political storm that threatens to destabilise the party’s internal unity at a critical moment.