President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) could pocket more than Sh300 million from members seeking to vie in its elections to be held between this month and August.
Thousands of party members expected to contest for various positions from the polling centre level up to the national are required to pay between Sh200 and Sh50,000, which is expected to translate to hundreds of millions of shillings owing to the huge number of aspirants involved.
Being a ruling party, coupled with plans to have some of Kenya Kwanza affiliate parties fold, UDA is likely to attract a huge number of candidates seeking to be party officials with an eye on the 2027 General Election.
The party has indicated that the fee payable by aspirants is non-refundable.
An analysis by Nation shows that the party will collect more money at the ward level because of the huge numbers involved. At the polling centre level, the ruling party seeks to elect a total of 20 officials, with every aspirant required to pay Sh200 as fee. According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, there are a total of 27,397 registration centres in the country. Should all these centres attract just two aspirants for each of the 20 positions, UDA will collect Sh219 million.
UDA strongholds like Rift Valley and Mt Kenya are likely to attract more candidates, but it may fail to attract candidates in areas where it doesn’t enjoy backing like in Nyanza.
The party’s Grassroot Election Guide shows that at the polling centre level, members will elect three representatives of religious groups, traders (four), professionals (three), youth (four), special interest groups (one), farmers (three) and a woman and a man.
Declared 18 positions
At the Ward level, the party has declared 18 positions. Those seeking to run in the 1,450 wards across the country are required to pay Sh1,000 each. Should each of the wards attract just two candidates for each of the 18 positions, the party will pocket a total of Sh52 million.
The positions to be contested for at this level are chairperson and deputy, secretary and deputy, treasurer, organising secretary, a representative each for youth, women, people living with disabilities, micro, small and medium enterprises, farmers, religious groups and professionals, and seven members with at least three being of the opposite gender.
Another 18 positions have also been declared at the constituency level, with candidates required to pay Sh2,000. Assuming each of the seats in the 290 constituencies attracts at least two candidates, the party will pocket about Sh20 million.
The party has further declared 18 positions to be contested for in each of the 47 counties. Those seeking to run for county chairperson and deputy are required to pay Sh20,000 while those gunning for secretary and deputy as well as treasurer and organising secretary are required to pay Sh10,000. Other county officials are required to pay Sh5,000. Should the positions attract at least two candidates, the party is set to collect about Sh13 million.
Those seeking to run at the national level will each pay Sh50,000. More than 15 positions will be contested at this level.
But UDA National Organising Secretary Vincent Musyoka Kawaya said the party was likely to spend more money in facilitating the exercise.
He said procuring tablets for the digital exercise could cost the party as high as Sh100 million. The party is also expected to hire poll officials.
“What we are collecting from our aspirants is less than what we require to run the elections,” he said.
Purely electronic
The party’s National Elections Board held its first meeting on Tuesday and announced that the elections set to start on April 26 will be purely electronic, but those to take part will vote at their respective polling stations.
The party said it seeks to carry out comprehensive sensitisation of its members and to hold a series of meetings with aspirants once applications close on April 12.
Board chair Anthony Mwaura told journalists that the party is pulling all strings to ensure a flawless, transparent and efficient electoral process.
He indicated that the party was witnessing increased applications by members seeking to contest as the deadline approaches.
The outfit has urged aspirants to attend the meetings since it will offer a platform to address various concerns.
