Barely five days after the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) rolled out its online registration platform for the 2027 General Election, thousands of hopefuls have already thrown their hats into the ring, underscoring the growing political jostling within the ruling party.
Data released by the party shows that 3,803 members have so far signed up to seek elective seats using the UDA ticket, pointing to fierce internal competition as early preparations for 2027 gather pace.
The bulk of the aspirants are eyeing positions at the grassroots, with 2,863 seeking to contest for Member of County Assembly (MCA) slots. Parliamentary races have attracted 640 hopefuls, while 138 candidates have registered interest in the Woman Representative seats. Senate contests have drawn 98 aspirants, and 64 members have indicated plans to vie for governorships.
The registrations follow a January 22 notice by the party’s National Elections Board (NEB), which invited interested members to enrol for the UDA Aspirants’ Forum scheduled for February 4. The forum, to be chaired by President William Ruto at State House, marks a key early engagement between party leadership and prospective candidates.
NEB chairman Anthony Mwaura said the board is spearheading the groundwork for the party’s nomination process, including setting rules, timelines and mechanisms for resolving disputes ahead of the next polls. He emphasized that the board is focused on delivering a transparent, credible and well-organised exercise.
As part of the process, aspirants are required to pay a non-refundable registration fee depending on the seat they intend to contest. MCA hopefuls pay Sh2,000, parliamentary, Senate and Woman Representative aspirants Sh5,000, while those seeking governor positions are charged Sh10,000.
Payments are made via M-Pesa using Paybill number 888092, with aspirants instructed to use their national ID numbers as account references. Alternatively, fees can be deposited through an Equity Bank account registered in the name of the United Democratic Alliance.
The online portal, hosted on the party’s official website, represents UDA’s first formal step in organising its internal processes as it gears up for the 2027 General Election.
