UDA Leaders Threaten to Petition Ruto to Remove Hassan Omar as UDA Secretary General

UDA Leaders Threaten to Petition Ruto to Remove Hassan Omar as UDA Secretary General

Fresh tensions have erupted within the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) after a section of leaders from the Mount Kenya region issued Secretary General Hassan Omar with a 48-hour ultimatum to resign over controversial remarks that have sparked political backlash and renewed debate over ethnic rhetoric in national politics.

The leaders, allied to President William Ruto, warned that failure by Omar to voluntarily vacate office would trigger formal disciplinary action within the party structures, including a petition to the President as party leader seeking his removal from the influential position.

The ultimatum was announced during a press briefing on Wednesday, May 27, led by Thika Town Member of Parliament Alice Ng’ang’a and Kiambaa MP John Njuguna Kawanjiku, who accused the UDA Secretary General of making divisive remarks targeting the Mount Kenya region during the President’s recent development tour of the Coast.

“As leaders, we demand the immediate and unconditional resignation of Hassan Omar as Secretary General of the UDA Party,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement.

“Should he fail to tender his resignation voluntarily within 48 hours, we will formally present a joint petition to our party leader to invoke our party organs to dismiss him from his position,” the statement added.

The growing standoff now threatens to expose deeper political cracks within the ruling coalition at a time when the government is working to consolidate support ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Omar came under sharp criticism last week following remarks he made during President Ruto’s Coast tour, where he appeared to attribute the nationwide matatu strike and broader economic frustrations to one region of the country.

The comments quickly triggered outrage online and condemnation from political leaders, civil society groups, and sections of the public, with critics accusing the UDA Secretary General of promoting ethnic division through inflammatory political rhetoric.

Although Omar later issued a public apology, he maintained that his remarks had been taken out of context and deliberately misinterpreted by political opponents seeking to damage his reputation.

“My remarks were unfortunately taken out of context by political adversaries pursuing their own agenda,” Omar stated in his response.

However, Mount Kenya leaders within UDA dismissed the apology as inadequate and insincere, insisting that the comments had already caused political damage and undermined national unity.

The lawmakers also welcomed the decision by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to launch investigations into the remarks, urging the commission to pursue the matter fully under hate speech and incitement laws.

“We fully support the probe by the NCIC and demand that criminal prosecution for hate speech and incitement be pursued to its conclusion,” the MPs stated.

The controversy has since escalated into a wider political confrontation involving opposition figures allied to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Gachagua and several opposition leaders have accused President Ruto of remaining silent as some allies within UDA allegedly engage in divisive politics ahead of the next general election.

The former Deputy President recently claimed that sections of the ruling party were using ethnic rhetoric to weaken political unity in the Mount Kenya region, allegations that UDA leaders have strongly denied.

Political analysts now argue that the dispute surrounding Hassan Omar could signal emerging succession battles and internal power struggles within UDA as leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 race.

Reports emerging from within the party suggest that some Mount Kenya leaders are increasingly concerned that controversial remarks by senior party officials could erode the region’s political support for President Ruto.

Sources within UDA indicate that the push against Omar is also linked to broader efforts by leaders from the region to consolidate influence within the ruling party and safeguard their bargaining power in future political negotiations.

Despite mounting pressure, Omar had not publicly indicated whether he intended to resign by the time of publication.

The developments now place President Ruto in a delicate political position as he seeks to maintain unity within the ruling coalition while balancing competing regional interests inside the party.

Observers say the President’s response to the growing fallout could shape internal UDA dynamics in the coming months as political temperatures gradually rise ahead of the next election cycle.

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UDA Leaders Threaten to Petition Ruto to Remove Hassan Omar as UDA Secretary General