UDA Official Statement After Ruling on National Assembly Majority Designation

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has responded to reports that the High Court ruling on February 7 declared the ruling Kenya Kwanza Coalition as the minority in the National Assembly.

Through a statement dated February 13, the party’s Secretary General Hassan Omar clarified that the judgment issued did not declare Kenya Kwanza Coalition as the minority in Parliament but was subject to the approach used in the determination made on October 6, 2022, by the National Assembly Speaker.

“For the avoidance of doubt and contrary to falsehoods circulating through various media platforms, the High Court never declared the Azimio Coalition as the Majority Party or Kenya Kwanza as the Minority Party,” part of the statement read.

“The High Court concluded that the Communication made by the Speaker on 6th October 2022 regarding the National Assembly leadership was not based on information provided by the Registrar of Political Parties, and therefore proceeded to quash the aforesaid Speaker’s ruling.”

UDA also emphasised that the High Court had not granted orders (d) and (e) of the petition which sought to have the Azimio La Umoja Coalition declared the Majority in Parliament and Kenya Kwanza Coalition as the Minority respectively.

The statement further declared that the Coalition had complied with the High Court judgment, which required that the determination of the Majority and Minority Leadership be strictly based on official information provided by the Registrar of Political Parties. 

“Based on the foregoing High Court decision, the Kenya Kwanza Coalition with a total of 165 members is lawfully the Majority Coalition, while the Azimio Coalition with a total of 154 members is the Minority Party within the meaning of Article 108 of the Constitution,” the statement revealed.

To prove this, UDA listed all parties that form the Kenya Kwanza Coalition beginning with UDA which consists of 145 elected members, followed by Amani National Congress (ANC) which recently merged with UDA and records a total number of eight elected members.

The Forum for Restoration of Democracy-Kenya (FORD-K) follows with six elected members and The Service Party (TSP) with two. National Agenda Party of Kenya (NAP-K), Grand Dream Development Party of Kenya (GDDP), Democratic Party (DP), and Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) follow with only one each.

This statement comes just a day after National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, whose party FORD-K also declared that the High Court ruling would not change how majority and minority positions were awarded in Parliament.

“Arising from the foregoing, the Kenya Kwanza is the majority and the Azimio is the minority. The Leadership of the House remains unchanged,” Wetangula stated, also referring to the difference in number of elected members between the two warring coalitions.

The declaration led to a temporary disruption in proceeding as MPs allied to the Azimio Coalition opposed the decision. Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo even asserted she was going to take legal action on the same.

“As Azimio we very respectfully disagree with your communication… As Azimio, we are going to take further action,” the Minority Whip announced.