Musalia Mudavadi kicks out party bosses in row

What you need to know:

  • Mr Mudavadi led part of the National Executive Committee in sacking Mr Hassan Osman as party chairman.
  • Former Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito was named secretary-general, taking over from Mr Dan Ameyo who resigned after being appointed the chairman of Mumias Sugar.
  • A statement by Mr Kioni read in the presence of Mr Mudavadi announced that a new list of officials had been sent to the registrar of political parties.

A leadership crisis has engulfed UDF after party leader Musalia Mudavadi kicked out the chairman in spite of opposition from other officials.

Mr Mudavadi led part of the National Executive Committee in sacking Mr Hassan Osman as party chairman.

UDF also announced that it would start the legal procedure to recall Mr Osman, a Nominated MP, from Wednesday next week.

Mr Kassim Sawa was named the new chairman, taking over from Mr Osman in a list that also included Mr Mudavadi as party leader, with Mr Jeremiah Kioni as his deputy.

Former Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito was named secretary-general, taking over from Mr Dan Ameyo who resigned after being appointed the chairman of Mumias Sugar.

But the officially registered secretary-general, Mr Abraham Limo, who is Mr Osman’s ally, dismissed Mr Mudavadi’s takeover, saying, the former minister’s allies would be humbled by the law.

“It is us who invited Mr Mudavadi to this party. He did not invite us. All Kenyans know this. He can play games out there, but we will not allow him to institutionalise sycophancy in UDF. We will be kicking him out soon,” Mr Limo said.

He said resolutions arrived at during the meeting that decided to remove Mr Osman had no grounds.

Although Mr Limo was retained as the chairman of the National Elections Board, he told the Nation he was not interested in the position, and declared he was still the secretary-general.

NEW LINE-UP

A statement by Mr Kioni read in the presence of Mr Mudavadi announced that a new list of officials had been sent to the registrar of political parties.

“Anyone not listed in this line-up should not act as UDF party official. This decision to change national officials has been a relief to the party,” Mr Kioni said.

Also on the list are Capt Yare Mohammed (first deputy chairman) and Ms Jane Marwa (second deputy chairman).