Acting Secretary General Hassan Omar was warmly welcomed with cheers and dancing at the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party Headquarters. Supporters waved tree branches and chanted slogans in support of Omar, exclaiming, “SG, SG… Igwee igwee.”
Earlier on Friday, a strong police presence was noted following the revocation of Cleophas Malala’s appointment. The UDA National Executive Committee (NEC) decided to replace Malala with Omar after a thorough and consultative review.
A statement from the NEC read, “Upon extensive deliberations and in accordance with its mandate under Article 8.2 of the Party Constitution, the National Executive Committee has designated Vice-Chairperson Hon. Hassan Omar Hassan to act as the Secretary General on an interim basis.”
The NEC meeting was chaired by the party’s Chairperson and Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire. Malala had been serving as acting Secretary General since February 2023, succeeding Veronica Maina, who was nominated to the Senate.
The UDA has recently faced internal conflict over the Secretary General position, with some members advocating for Malala’s removal. This unrest was further highlighted on Tuesday when lawyer Joe Khalende arrived at the UDA headquarters, asserting that he had taken over as Secretary General. Khalende criticized Malala for his alleged lack of commitment and his opposition to the formation of a broad-based government.
“I am here to confirm that Malala is no longer the Secretary General of the UDA party. I, Joe Khalende, will be assuming the role,” Khalende declared. “Moving forward, the UDA party will return to its core principles as a people-centered organization, not defined by individuals within it.”
Chairperson Mbarire, however, dismissed Khalende’s claims, affirming that the UDA operates under established party structures.
