This archive report was first published on 26 June 2021.
Published on June 26, 2021, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has been making significant strides in Kenyan politics.
The party's social media pages are filled with messages encouraging the public to register, and UDA has made the process easier through an online registration process that can be completed independently.
UDA's vision is to build a party that can compete with Kenya's largest political party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). The party is formed by past political leaders, including former Senators Hassan Omar and Johnstone Muthama.
Current political leaders allied to Deputy President William Ruto and those who support his 2022 presidential bid are also part of the party.
One of the party leaders, Hassan Omar, recently shared a glimpse of the modern membership cards on his social media channels, confirming his defection from the Wiper Democratic Party led by former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka.
Omar justified his decision, stating, "I was in Wiper, now in UDA. I don't see anything wrong with that in the current political context. You expected me to stay with Kalonzo and go where? Chama ya pili. Strategizing and restrategizing is part of politics," emphasizing the dynamic nature of politics.
UDA has also gained support from Jubilee party's chief campaigner in the upcoming Kiambaa constituency by-election, Joshua Gathiru, who pledged to support the UDA party candidate and expressed his wish to vie for an MCA post under a UDA party ticket in 2022.
The party has won several seats since its launch in January 2021, including the London Ward seat in Nakuru and the Rurii Ward seat in Muraya Githaiga.
UDA advocates for a bottom-up approach to the economy, where resources are concentrated at the grassroots level, and believes in a people-centered approach to leadership.
The party is expected to play a significant role in the 2022 General Election, with Deputy President William Ruto likely to vie on the party's ticket.
