Coast UDA leaders resist Orange party push for DP

UDA secretary general Hassan Omar at the Swahili Cultural Centre in Mombasa on Monday / BRIAN OTIENO

Lamu Governor Isa Timamy, Sports CS Salim Mvurya, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and UDA secretary general Hassan Omar at the Swahili Cultural Centre in Mombasa on Monday / BRIAN OTIENO

The UDA brigade at the Coast has declared it will not yield the deputy president position to its ODM counterparts.

Leaders insist that President William Ruto must pick his own preferred running mate for the 2027 election.

Led by secretary general Hassan Omar, the Coast UDA team told the ODM to abandon plans to install Mining CS Hassan Joho as deputy president.

The move is perceived as a strategy to advance Joho’s 2032 presidential ambitions.

Omar, who is eyeing the Mombasa governor's seat, emphasised that the region's political landscape has shifted since 2022.

“Those who were there in the past relied on one individual’s influence. Now, the tide has changed,” he said during a seminar and iftar dinner at the Swahili Cultural Centre.

The seminar brought together UDA-elected and appointed leaders, including ambassadors, PSs and parastatal heads.

The gathering highlighted the party’s growing influence at the Coast.

The Ruto administration has appointed 106 people from the region—a historical first—enhancing local representation.

UDA leaders reiterated that the presidency is a single unit. They maintained that Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki is the rightful choice under the UDA banner.

“Don’t come here politicking to be installed as deputy president. The presidency is one team,” Omar said.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi noted that while negotiations with the ODM are ongoing, the deputy president must be loyal to Ruto alone.

He cited instances in Homa Bay where deputy governors imposed on governors created instability.

“The president cannot be given conditions or threatened. He must work with a deputy of his choice,” Kingi said.

Sports CS Salim Mvurya urged UDA leaders to boldly highlight the Kenya Kwanza government’s achievements.

He called on them to reject tribalism and remind voters that the presidential candidate alone selects the deputy president.

The Coast UDA team aims to consolidate its stronghold, targeting four million potential votes by 2027.

Kingi emphasised the need to register new voters, particularly in Kilifi, to secure a landslide victory for Ruto.

Leaders stressed that voters should focus on performance and track records rather than guesswork or tribal affiliations.