By The Weekly Vision Team
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has cracked the whip and made changes in its leadership at the Nairobi City County Assembly leadership. The changes, which are yet to be acted upon by Speaker Hon. Ken Gondi, are expected to produce political fireworks as a section of the Azimio MCAs has vowed to block the changes, just as UDA has blocked the removal of Sabina Chege as the minority’s whip in the National Assembly.
Sources say the removal of the party’s leadership in the assembly is a political game played by the party’s Secretary General Cleophas Malala and Deputy President Rigathi Gchagua, who want to take control of the assembly’s leadership ahead of the eagerly awaited UDA elections in December. In a letter dated October 23, 2023 (ref. UDA/1/NCA/04/2023) signed by the party’s Secretary General and sent to the assembly speaker captioned “RE: The minority leadership in the Nairobi County Assembly,”Malala had requested the speaker to effect the changes immediately. According to Malala, on Thursday, October 17, 35 MCAs collected signatures to replace minority leaders Anthony Karanja Kiragu and Mark Mugambi.
In the changes in Nairobi South Ward, MCA Waithera Chege is the new minority leader, while Deonysias Mwangi is the new deputy minority leader. He was the deputy minority leader before the new changes were made. Nominated MCA Joyce Muthoni is the new minority whip. She has taken over from Mark Ronaldo Mugambi, while Clay City MCA Samora Mwaura is the new Minority Deputy Whip, replacing Joyce Kamau.
According to Malala, the MCAs held a meeting at the assembly’s lounge on October 17, 2023, and resolved to remove the minority leader and minority whip from their respective offices. The letter reads, in part, It was resolved that the minority leader and the minority whip be removed for reasons contained in the referenced minutes.
However, Kiragu, in a quick rejoinder, has acquitted Malala and some unnamed Nairobi politicians who are against his candidacy for the Nairobi UDA chairmanship position. He was quoted saying, “My critics are not happy with my ambitions of going for a bigger seat, and with the help of their sponsors, they have decided so, but that won’t stop me from vying for the Nairobi UDA chairman position.”
