- Secretary General Cleophas Malala said that the meeting would proceed as planned earlier.
- Malala noted that the court has not barred the party from holding any meeting.
Image: TEDDY MULEI
United Democratic Alliance Party has vowed to proceed with Thursday’s meeting with Nairobi MCAs in a bid to address the leadership stalemate.
Secretary General Cleophas Malala said that the meeting would proceed as planned earlier.
Speaking to the Star, Malala noted that the court has not barred the party from holding any meeting.
“The Thursday meeting will proceed. The party's position on the matter will be pronounced. The matter will be concluded by 12 noon and life will move on,” he said.
He was reacting to a letter addressed to him, whereby 26 UDA MCAs declined to attend the meeting, stating that the matter was before the court.
In a letter, newly appointed Minority Whip Joyce Muthoni said that the UDA legislators ought not to attend the meeting as the matter is already active in court.
"Given that the matter is already under consideration by the political parties dispute tribunal, any such meeting would violate the sub judice rule," she said in the letter.
Already, the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal (PPDT) has barred UDA from making leadership changes at the Nairobi county assembly.
PPDT chairperson Desma Nungo gave the orders barring UDA from making any changes until a hearing and determination are done.
However, SG Malala noted that the agenda of Thursday’s meeting will be to settle the in fights and settle on the legitimate leadership.
He questioned why the UDA faction led by Waithera Chege and Joyce Muthoni was backing out.
He explained to the Star that the party also wanted to find out and determine whether the claims of forgery were true.
“The issue of forgery will be settled and as a party, we will take disciplinary actions against those MCAs who will be found guilty,” Malala said.
“So it is in their best interest that they attend the meeting on Thursday and we settle this issue once and for all,” he added.
In changes communicated by Malala on Monday, Waithera Chege was named the minority leader and was to be deputized by Deonysias Mwangi (Guthurai MCA).
Umoja One MCA Mark Mugambi was to be replaced by Nominated MCA Joyce Muthoni as Minority whip.
Muthoni was to be deputized by Clay MCA Samora Mwaura as her deputy.
The changes were said to be made after 35 MCAs allegedly appended their signatures to change the leaders.
Malala later in the day, however, made a U-turn saying he had received complaints that some of the signatures were forged hence calling for the crisis meeting.
In addition, the former Kakamega Senator noted that they only needed a quorum to start the meeting.
UDA has 55 MCAs and only needs a half for the meeting to proceed.
Malala called on all UDA MCAs to attend the meeting to resolve the indifferences.