NAIROBI, Kenya – op United Democratic Alliance (UDA) officials are reportedly planning to remove impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from his position as the party’s deputy leader.
The move follows his ouster from the deputy president’s office, a decision that Gachagua has challenged in court.
The UDA constitution stipulates that the deputy president automatically serves as the party’s deputy leader.
However, with Gachagua’s impeachment and ongoing legal battles, key UDA figures are pushing to replace him within the party’s leadership structure.
Sources within UDA indicate that a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting is expected to convene in the coming two weeks to ratify Gachagua’s removal as deputy party leader.
The party honchos are reportedly waiting for the High Court to issue its final ruling on Gachagua’s appeal.
Should his impeachment be upheld, they plan to proceed with his ouster from the party leadership altogether.
There are even proposals to expel Gachagua from UDA entirely, which could trigger a drawn-out legal battle if he chooses to resist the expulsion.
Should this happen, the expelled deputy would be barred from running for office under the UDA banner in 2027.
“We do not recognize Gachagua as the UDA deputy party leader,” said UDA National Treasurer Japhet Nyakundi. “The NEC will soon meet to pick his replacement.”
Speculation is rife that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki is being positioned to replace Gachagua both as deputy president and as the UDA deputy leader.
Kindiki was President William Ruto’s pick to step into the deputy president’s role after Gachagua’s impeachment.
However, Kindiki has not yet assumed the position due to a court order halting the process.
Allies of President Ruto reportedly believe that even if Gachagua were reinstated as deputy president, the relationship between the two leaders is irreparably damaged, making Gachagua’s future in UDA untenable.
They are confident that the ongoing court case will not result in a favorable outcome for the embattled deputy president.
The growing rift between President Ruto and Gachagua has also led to significant changes within the UDA leadership.
Cleophas Malala, a former UDA secretary-general and key Gachagua ally, was recently ousted from his position, replaced by East African Legislative Assembly member Hassan Omar.
Malala, who was seen as too close to Gachagua, has since moved to court to challenge his removal.
This internal UDA shakeup comes amid speculation that President Ruto’s emerging partnership with opposition leader Raila Odinga under the framework of a broad-based government could lead to new political alliances ahead of the 2027 elections.
Notably, five politicians allied with Raila have been appointed to Ruto’s Cabinet following the fallout with Gachagua.
The move follows his ouster from the deputy president’s office, a decision that Gachagua has challenged in court.
The UDA constitution stipulates that the deputy president automatically serves as the party’s deputy leader.
However, with Gachagua’s impeachment and ongoing legal battles, key UDA figures are pushing to replace him within the party’s leadership structure.
Sources within UDA indicate that a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting is expected to convene in the coming two weeks to ratify Gachagua’s removal as deputy party leader.
The party honchos are reportedly waiting for the High Court to issue its final ruling on Gachagua’s appeal.
Should his impeachment be upheld, they plan to proceed with his ouster from the party leadership altogether.
There are even proposals to expel Gachagua from UDA entirely, which could trigger a drawn-out legal battle if he chooses to resist the expulsion.
Should this happen, the expelled deputy would be barred from running for office under the UDA banner in 2027.
“We do not recognize Gachagua as the UDA deputy party leader,” said UDA National Treasurer Japhet Nyakundi. “The NEC will soon meet to pick his replacement.”
Speculation is rife that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki is being positioned to replace Gachagua both as deputy president and as the UDA deputy leader.
Kindiki was President William Ruto’s pick to step into the deputy president’s role after Gachagua’s impeachment.
However, Kindiki has not yet assumed the position due to a court order halting the process.
Allies of President Ruto reportedly believe that even if Gachagua were reinstated as deputy president, the relationship between the two leaders is irreparably damaged, making Gachagua’s future in UDA untenable.
They are confident that the ongoing court case will not result in a favorable outcome for the embattled deputy president.
The growing rift between President Ruto and Gachagua has also led to significant changes within the UDA leadership.
Cleophas Malala, a former UDA secretary-general and key Gachagua ally, was recently ousted from his position, replaced by East African Legislative Assembly member Hassan Omar.
Malala, who was seen as too close to Gachagua, has since moved to court to challenge his removal.
This internal UDA shakeup comes amid speculation that President Ruto’s emerging partnership with opposition leader Raila Odinga under the framework of a broad-based government could lead to new political alliances ahead of the 2027 elections.
Notably, five politicians allied with Raila have been appointed to Ruto’s Cabinet following the fallout with Gachagua.
