NAIROBI, Kenya — The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has restricted attendance at its aspirants’ forum scheduled for Wednesday at State House to only candidates who successfully completed registration and received official confirmation from the party.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, UDA said only aspirants who received a direct invitation from the party will be allowed to attend the high-level forum, warning that access will be strictly controlled.
“Attendance at tomorrow’s UDA Party Aspirants Forum at State House is strictly limited to aspirants who successfully registered and received official confirmation from the United Democratic Alliance Party,” the notice stated.
The clarification follows the release of UDA’s Aspirant Forum Registration Report 2026, which shows that 12,353 aspirants across all 47 counties completed registration for the party’s internal engagement process.
According to the report, the bulk of aspirants—10,230, or 82.8pc—are contesting for Member of County Assembly (MCA) seats, underscoring the intense competition at the grassroots level ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Members of Parliament account for 1,372 aspirants (11.1pc), while 323 aspirants registered for Women Representative positions. Senatorial hopefuls stand at 279, while only 149 aspirants registered for gubernatorial races.
The report also notes that 370 individuals paid the registration fee but failed to complete the process, and therefore did not qualify for confirmation or invitation to the forum.
UDA officials said the verification requirement is intended to maintain order, security, and credibility at the State House meeting, which is expected to outline party rules, nomination timelines, and campaign conduct ahead of grassroots elections.
The aspirants’ forum forms part of UDA’s broader effort to institutionalise internal democracy, standardise nomination processes, and manage growing interest in elective positions under the ruling party’s banner.
With more than 12,000 aspirants seeking party tickets, UDA faces mounting pressure to deliver transparent and credible nomination processes, particularly after disputes that followed the 2022 party primaries.
Party insiders say the State House engagement will focus on discipline, adherence to party structures, and alignment with the party’s political and development agenda as preparations for the 2027 polls gather pace.
