Malala drags UDA to court over meeting to 'throw him out'

Internal wrangles within President William Ruto-led United Democratic Alliance (UDA) have escalated with a case filed to stop the Friday National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

In a last-minute move, UDA embattled Secretary General Cleophas Malala Thursday filed a case before High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi against the party and its chairperson Cecil Mbarire from convening the NEC meeting.

He claimed that Mbarire is not a substantive party official but serving in an acting capacity.

“Pending the hearing and determination of this case this honourable court be pleased to issue a Temporary Order barring the first and second respondents (Mbarire and UDA) from convening a NEC meeting on Friday, August 2, 2024 pending the hearing and determination of this application,” Malala urged the court.

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He claimed that the meeting is meant to illegally remove him from office.

Malala urged the court to block the meeting and bar the NEC from addressing or passing any resolution to kick him out of office.

At the same time, he asked Justice Mugambi to block the committee from interfering with his job

“This court should be pleased to issue an Order of temporary injunction restraining the NEC of the UDA Party from removing the applicant honourable Cleophas Wakhungu Malalah from office or interfering with him in any way or manner in the discharge of his duties as Secretary General of the UDA Party pending the hearing and determination of this application,” court papers read in part.

On Tuesday, Joe Khalende, a self-declared UDA Secretary General, went to the party headquarters, leading to a standoff with Malala's supporters.

Following the events, Mbarire said that the party had called for a NEC meeting to address internal matters.

She said that UDA would announce the resolutions afterwards.

In court, however, Malala claimed that the meeting scheduled today did not follow the party’s laws and was meant to oust him for ulterior motives.

He argued that Mbarire has no powers to call for the meeting. Malala said the party has a clear structure and a meeting can only be sanctioned by the party secretary general and not the chair.

The embattled SG wants the court to find Mbarire’s notice to be unlawful, unprocedural, and illegal

He claimed that Mbarire had usurped his powers.

Malla urged the court to intervene and stop any action by the chair until the case is heard and determined.

Justice Mugambi fixed mention on September 30, 2024.