UDA supporters on Friday voted in Nairobi, Busia, Narok, West Pokot and Homa Bay counties to elect their grassroots leaders.
In Nairobi, the party has 853,000 registered members, Homa Bay (141,000), Narok (233,000), Busia (141,000), while West Pokot has 208,000.
There are concerns the contested nature of elections in such a big outfit could stretch the unity thread of the ruling party as leaders viciously fight for leadership slots.
For instance, in Nairobi, Governor Johnson Sakaja and Embakasi North MP Kames Gakuya had locked horns for the county chairmanship positions.
The same high-level showdown is expected in a number of regions where UDA enjoys majority support.
UDA has received one of the highest number of candidates expressing interests for the available seats.
According to party director of elections Higgins Mbugua, there are 189,638 candidates who have applied for various positions up for grabs in the ongoing elections.
Each level of elections has 20 officials.
It is argued securing the leadership at the party levels puts one at an advantage position during the primaries to decide the flagbearer.
UDA National Elections Board chairman Antony Mwaura has fired warning against any form of lawlessness during the exercise.
“As we head to the polls, we request that civility be exercised, and party members be allowed to exercise their rights and will freely and without coercion. Chaos, violence, bribery or any form of hooliganism will not be entertained,” Mwaura said.
“The board sends a strong warning to anyone who will be found to be a perpetrator or instigated of these electoral offences that it will not hesitate to take immediate disciplinary action, including disqualifying such candidates from taking part in the polls.”
The second phase of the grassroots polls will be on June 22, in 13 counties.
On June 22, the ruling party will conduct the exercise in Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Nyandarua, Tharaka Nithi, Machakos, Kisii, Bungoma, Siaya and Taita Taveta.
The party will also hold polls in Wajir, Tana River, Kwale and Marsabit counties that day.
In phase three on August 10, UDA will have polls in Kiambu, Embu, Kericho, Meru, Migori, Kakamega, Nyamira and Kitui counties.
Elgeyo Marakwet, Samburu, Kajiado, Mandera, Kilifi, Murang’a and Lamu counties will have their elections on that day.
The last phase of the exercise, which was initially scheduled for December last year, will be conducted on August 24 in the 12 remaining counties.
They are Nakuru, Bomet, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Nandi, Baringo, Turkana, Laikipia, Trans-Nzoia, Kisumu, Vihiga and Makueni.
During the elections, the 20 officials will be elected from polling centres and they will team up with other centres in the ward, including elected and nominated MCAs to constitute ward congress.
“The 20 wards council from each ward in a constituency, plus elected and nominated MPs, will congregate and form the constituency congress, where they will elect 20 officials from among themselves,” Mbugua said.
“The 20 constituency officials plus governors, deputy governors, senators and woman representatives will congregate and form the county congress and elect 20 officials from among themselves.”
According to Mbugua, the 20 county officials and seven officials from the constituency and all the elected and nominated leaders will constitute the national delegates, who will elect all the national officials.
