President William Ruto has issued a firm directive to political aspirants eyeing the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party tickets for the 2027 general elections, demanding they join the party immediately and participate in its growth.
Speaking on Monday, January 26, during the UDA National Governing Council meeting at State House, Nairobi, the President made it clear that he will not tolerate last-minute opportunists seeking to benefit from the party without contributing to its development.
"I am also going to meet aspirants next week. Because I don't want people to show up at this party at the end. They come, they have not contributed anything to the party, and then they come and say they want a ticket to the party," Ruto stated firmly.
The Head of State emphasized that anyone interested in running on a UDA ticket must demonstrate commitment by joining now and actively participating in party-building activities.
"Everyone who wants to be an aspirant should come now. Let's build a party together. Right? Let's build a party together," the President declared.
Read More
During the same meeting, President Ruto revealed that UDA is exploring a coalition with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ahead of the 2027 elections, citing the success of the current broad-based government arrangement.
Ruto explained that his administration had turned a political challenge into an opportunity by establishing a broad-based government that includes ODM members.
"In every challenge, there is a silver lining and there is an opportunity if you look carefully. So in that challenge that we were undergoing, instead of focusing on the challenge, we decided to create an opportunity out of it," the President said.
He praised the performance of ODM members in his government, singling out their contribution to governance.
The National Governing Council meeting brought together key party figures, including governors, Members of Parliament, and Members of County Assemblies. Also in attendance were Deputy Party Leader and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
In his address, President Ruto reflected on the party's performance since the 2022 general elections, emphasizing adherence to the UDA manifesto commitments.
He reminded attendees of the pledges made to Kenyans, which included transforming the country through investments in agriculture, providing accessible, affordable credit, creating millions of jobs, and implementing universal healthcare, among other initiatives.
