A United Democratic Party (UDP) official has denied claims that Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and Uasin Gishu Senator Edwin Sifuna are set to take over the leadership of the party.
In a statement, the party’s Vice Chairman and Acting Deputy Party Leader said there was no such arrangement and insisted that the current party officials were duly elected during the National Delegates Conference held at Multimedia University in 2022.
The official said only a National Delegates Conference has the authority to fill the position of party leader, which became vacant following the death of the party’s substantive leader, Cyrus Jirongo.
The official warned against attempts to change the party leadership through what was described as backroom deals, saying any transition must follow the party constitution.
“Any deliberate attempt by anyone to seize the party leadership through manipulation is engaged in an exercise in futility,” the official said.
The official said UDP needs new leadership but maintained that any changes must be made through the party’s established rules and constitution.
The statement also addressed politicians seeking to join or return to the party, warning them against what the official described as using the “backdoor” to gain entry into UDP.
“Nobody will join UDP through the backdoor. Anyone who wants to join us must come through the front door,” the official said.
The official further claimed that the party constitution provides a roadmap for filling the party leader position and other vacant positions following resignation or death.
They warned that any attempt to bypass the process could result in a legal battle and what they described as “political bloodshed.”
At the same time, the official said Natembeya, Sifuna and other like-minded politicians were welcome to join the party, provided they followed the required party process.
The official also invoked Jirongo’s legacy, saying the late party leader stood for uprightness, truth and justice.
“No one will short-change loyal party members for quick political gains,” the statement said.
The party official added that lawyers had been instructed to remain vigilant over the matter.
The statement comes amid claims circulating over possible changes to the leadership of UDP following the death of Jirongo.
