NAIROBI, Kenya — More than 3,800 aspirants have registered to contest elective seats on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket just five days after the ruling party opened its online registration portal ahead of the 2027 General Election, signalling fierce early competition within President William Ruto’s party.
According to figures released by UDA, a total of 3,803 aspirants have so far enrolled, with the bulk of interest concentrated at the grassroots level.
At least 2,863 aspirants are seeking to vie for Member of County Assembly (MCA) positions across the country.
The data shows 64 aspirants have expressed interest in gubernatorial seats, 98 in Senate races, 138 in Woman Representative contests and 640 in parliamentary seats.
The registrations follow a notice issued on January 22 by the party’s National Elections Board (NEB), inviting qualified members to sign up for the UDA Aspirants’ Forum, scheduled for February 4 at State House, Nairobi.
The meeting will be chaired by President Ruto and marks the first major formal engagement between the party’s top leadership and aspirants eyeing UDA tickets for the 2027 polls.
The NEB, a key party organ responsible for managing nominations, said the registration process is the first structured step in UDA’s preparations for the next general election.
The board oversees nomination rules, timelines and dispute resolution mechanisms.
“All qualified and interested party members who wish to contest for various elective seats in the 2027 General Election are hereby invited to register as members of the UDA Aspirants’ Forum,” NEB chairperson Anthony Mwaura said in the notice.
He added that the board remains committed to ensuring a transparent, credible and orderly nomination process.
UDA has also introduced non-refundable registration fees, ranging from Sh2,000 to Sh10,000, depending on the seat sought.
MCA aspirants are required to pay Sh2,000, while those vying for Member of Parliament, Woman Representative or Senator positions must pay Sh5,000. Gubernatorial hopefuls are charged Sh10,000.
Payments are made via M-Pesa Paybill number 888092, using the aspirant’s national identification number as the account reference, or through an Equity Bank account held in the party’s name.
Beyond the numbers, the opening of the portal has effectively ushered in early political manoeuvring within the ruling party, with UDA moving swiftly to centralise and manage internal competition.
The move comes against the backdrop of chaotic party primaries in previous election cycles, which often resulted in defections, legal battles and weakened parties heading into general elections.
Political observers view the decision to host the forum at State House as a calculated effort by President Ruto to assert control over the nomination process, tighten discipline and place the presidency at the centre of a historically contentious phase of party politics.
Party insiders say the forum will be used to spell out nomination rules, outline timelines, clarify dispute resolution mechanisms and issue warnings against premature campaigns, parallel mobilisation structures and public infighting.
Holding the meeting at State House is also seen as highly symbolic, elevating the exercise beyond a routine party gathering and signalling that nominations are a strategic priority for the presidency.
With UDA hosting both incumbents seeking re-election and ambitious newcomers, the leadership faces the delicate task of balancing political renewal with party unity as the 2027 race slowly gathers momentum.
