Didmus Barasa Reveals Intrigues Behind Push to Remove Malala as UDA Secretary General

Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa on Wednesday detailed his push to have UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala axed from his position in the ruling party.

Speaking during an interview on Spice FM, the lawmaker gave insights into the fallout between Malala and a number of senior members of President William Ruto’s party including Deputy Speaker Gladys Shollei.

At the centre of the fallout, Barasa indicated was the running of party recruitment membership drives that have turned chaotic in the recent months.

The lawmaker explained that the party had seen minimal uptake in membership explaining that the SG had failed in that area.

Barasa also claimed that the SG often took a partisan position in county government feuds between UDA governors and Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) pitting him against a number of Senators.

The Ruto ally cited the Kiambu county feud as an example, alleging that Malala was on the side of the governor and even threatened to de-whip some of the MCAs from the party.

He explained that the SG had failed in defending the government agenda against opposition leaders who he stated understood how to play their cards, especially during the Finance Act debate.

“I have never seen Cleophas Malala issuing a rejoinder to what Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has stated. Sifuna is a very good person in terms of understanding the role that comes with the office as ODM SG,” he noted.

“He is a young lawyer and very eloquent. He has made us feel like we do not have an SG.”

Malala’s onslaught on Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Speaker Moses Wetangula was also cited as a concern to some of the party members. Barasa explained his actions were dividing the Kenya Kwanza faction at a time when Kenyans were questioning the performance of the Ruto government.

The lawmaker was making reference to Malala’s drive to have Mudavadi and Wegtangula fold their parties and join UDA.

However, Barasa maintained that attacks on Mudavadi and Wetangula had not been sanctioned by the President and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

“Malala is on a self-destruction path and in the next few months he will exit. The way he was performed is below the bar,” he echoed.

The UDA SG is yet to issue a response to the claims amidst a lawsuit filed by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale over the appointment of regional managers who will oversee the upcoming party elections on December 9.