Published on June 7, 2024 by Agencies for Kenya Online News
Last Updated on 2 years by Agencies for Kenya Online News
A member of the President William Ruto’s led United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has filed a petition seeking for the expulsion of the party’s Secretary General Cleophas Malala from the party.
In a petition filed by Joseph Khalende, the advocate chairperson of the founding members association addressed to party chairperson Cecily Mbarire has listed seven grounds for the ouster.
It includes gross misconduct and gross violation of the provisions of the constitution and party constitution.
According to the petitioner, Malala has also defied party leadership and interfered with the ongoing grassroots elections as spearheaded division and creating factions in the party.
“In the immediate and foremost interest to safeguard our Party from the ineptitude of an incompetent Secretary General who has resoundingly failed to orient himself to the ideals of the Party, we hereby petition the National Executive Committee to immediately suspend and expel Cleophas Malala,” it reads.
NEC, according to Khalende, has the mandate to remove the official before the elections are held.
He has cited Article 41 of the UDA constitution on transitional provisions which states that the current office holders shall remain in office as interim officials for a period of six months or until the party conducts its elections.
“Based on the foregoing, the above article gives NEC unquestionable mandate to remove one Cleophas Malala before the elections having be furnished with all the evidence of his omission and commission of the above grounds,” the petition further states.
When contacted for a comment, Malala laughed off the petition and said he did not want to wade into the matter.
“There are so many fights and I cannot respond to all of them,” Malala stated.
He was, however, quick to state that he is being fought because he has made sure party resources are put to prudent use.
The move comes in the wake of claims that he has been removed as one of the bank signatories of the party.
In all the accounts, the bank listed Malala, Mbarire and National Treasurer Japheth Nyakundi as signatories.
Other signatories are Antony Mwaura and Nicodemus Bore.
Malala has also dismissed the claims saying cartels in the party were behind the allegations as he vowed to ensure the party is run professionally.
“I have made it impossible to steal from the party. They cannot come here for Sh1 million or Sh5 million which they want to use over the weekend. I have made it very difficult for the cartels,” Malala said.
“A story that is not factual is not worth writing. Those allegations are not true.”
The latest conflict in the party started when Malala returned from a trip to China on May 29 and fired a warning to some leaders drawn from the party over their recent conduct.
“I have been deeply concerned by reports of indiscipline among some of the elected leaders within our party, UDA. My attention has been drawn to the fact that certain individuals continue to show blatant disrespect to the party leadership,” he said.
Malala’s warning did not spare Cabinet Secretaries in President Ruto’s government.
He told Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria and Roads and Infrastructure CS Kipchumba Murkomen to resign if they wanted to engage in politics.
He also warned Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, her Kapseret counterpart Oscar Sudi, and Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga over their conduct.
