The United Democratic Party (UDP) has denied reports that Governor George Natembeya and Senator Edwin Sifuna are positioning to take control of the party. Mohammed Abikar, UDP Vice Chairman and Acting Deputy Party Leader, issued a statement rejecting the claims, saying that any new party leader must be elected through a National Delegates Conference, not backroom deals. This comes after Natembeya suggested that UDP would serve as the vehicle through which Sifuna would contest the presidency.
Abikar emphasized that the party's current officials were elected at the last National Delegates Conference held at Multimedia University in 2022, and that only a similar convention holds the authority to fill the party leader position left vacant by the death of Cyrus Jirongo. He insisted that any transition to a new party leader must be deliberate, well-planned, and anchored on one conditional principle: delegates' consensus, not backroom deals.
Abikar cautioned politicians seeking to join or return to UDP against attempting a "backdoor" entry into the party. He said that nobody will join UDP through the backdoor and that anyone who wants to join must come through the front door. This statement comes as a warning to those seeking to manipulate the leadership transition process.
The UDP official said that the party had instructed its lawyers to remain vigilant should any unlawful attempt be made to manipulate the leadership transition. Abikar warned that any shortcut to filling vacant party positions would result in "political bloodshed and a serious legal battle." This move is aimed at ensuring a smooth transition process.
Despite the firm tone, Abikar said that the party was not opposed to Natembeya, Sifuna, or other politicians joining UDP, provided they followed the correct procedures. He welcomed them with open arms, through the right party process, invoking the legacy of the late Jirongo, whom he described as a man who stood for "uprightness, truth, and justice."
Abikar made clear that loyal party members would not be sidelined for the sake of political expediency, and that the party constitution provides an explicit roadmap for filling vacant leadership slots, whether arising from resignation or death. This move aims to ensure that the party's leadership transition process is fair and transparent.
The UDP party's move to clarify its leadership transition process comes as Governor Natembeya and Senator Sifuna are rumored to be eyeing the party's leadership. With the party's firm stance on the matter, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold. The party's leadership transition process is expected to be a critical aspect of its future.
Key points
- UDP Acting Deputy Party Leader Mohammed Abikar denies reports of Governor George Natembeya and Senator Edwin Sifuna taking over the party leadership.
- Abikar insists that any new party leader must be elected through a National Delegates Conference, not backroom deals.
- The party has instructed its lawyers to remain vigilant against any unlawful attempt to manipulate the leadership transition process.
