UDA Sets Stage for Major Grassroots Elections
By Peace Muthoka
Nairobi, April 22, 2026 — The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is set for a major political exercise this week as it rolls out its repeat Phase II grassroots elections across the country.
The announcement was made by party chairperson Cecily Mutitu Mbarire, who said the polls will take place on April 23 in 18 counties.
The elections will cover Kisumu, Siaya, Migori, Kisii, Bungoma, Makueni, Machakos, Kitui, Isiolo, Marsabit, Taita Taveta, Lamu, Tana River, Kilifi, Kwale, Mombasa, and Turkana.
Secretary General Hassan Omar Hassan said the exercise marks a key step in strengthening the party from the grassroots.
He noted that the elections will give members a direct role in choosing leaders at the polling centre level, making the process more inclusive and representative.
More than 450,000 candidates have registered to vie for 20 positions in each polling centre. The slots cut across youth, women, special interest groups, farmers, professionals, religious groups, and small traders.
The party expects about eight million voters to take part in the exercise across 9,117 polling centres nationwide.
Voting will begin at 8:00 AM and close at 5:00 PM.
Hassan said UDA has already conducted similar elections in 25 counties, producing over 235,000 grassroots officials. He added that the upcoming phase will bring in 182,240 new officials with a direct mandate from members.
To manage the large-scale process, the party will deploy 9,500 electronic voting tablets. The system will support voting, tallying, and results transmission.
Results will be published on a public portal on the party’s website to ensure transparency.
Party leaders say the repeat elections are crucial in building strong local structures and ensuring every region is fully represented.
With millions expected to vote, the exercise is likely to shape UDA’s political base and influence its future strategy.
Attention now turns to how smoothly the party will deliver the polls and maintain credibility in one of its biggest internal elections.
