UDM set to launch party members' drive

Eldoret North MP William Ruto's United Democratic Movement is Thursday expected to launch its recruitment drive in preparation for the next General Election.

Party leaders and supporters have converged at the UDM offices in Lavington, Nairobi Thursday for the launch.

Organising secretary Joseph Lagat, who is a former Eldoret East MP, said a new party symbol will also be unveiled.

The symbol is a milk can with horns embedded on it. The party has also adopted yellow as its dominant colour.

Mr Lagat told the Nation the symbols have officially been registered.

The recruitment at the party offices on convent drive will also be rolled out throughout the country and is meant to enable the party meet the Political Act requirement.

It requires every party to have at least 1,000 members per county. The law also requires parties to hold elections within 180 days after it is operationalised.

"After the recruitment drive, we hope to go into the elections of the party and register new structures within 180 days as per the law.

"We want to get set for the General Election. We will conduct the recruitment in all the counties and popularise the party," said Mr Lagat.

He said since the Constitution requires that a presidential candidate must win at least half of the 47 counties to be declared president, UDM does not want to leave anything to chance.

Mr Lagat said the case over the party leadership filed by General John Koech will not interfere with the party's preparation for the next polls.

He said the party expected to raise funds from members and attract other donations for its activities.

Mr Ruto was in an informal MPs meeting at Parliament Buildings and was expected at the venue later.

The former Higher Education minister has declared interest in the presidency and though he remains the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) deputy leader, he has indicated he will go for the top job in an UDM ticket.

Mr Ruto, Dujis MP Aden Duale and Mogotio legislator Hellen Sambili were among ODM rebel members dropped from the Cabinet by party leader Raila Odinga in a mini-reshuffle earlier in the year.