NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 4 – Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has rallied more than 20,000 United Democratic Alliance (UDA) polling station officials in Meru County to champion the ruling party’s record as it prepares for the 2027 General Election.
Speaking at Kinoru Stadium on Friday, Kindiki described the officials as the “bosses” of the party at the grassroots, saying they would play a crucial role in mobilising support and communicating the Kenya Kwanza administration’s achievements to voters.
He said the officials, elected at polling-station level, represented the party where elections are ultimately won or lost.
“You are very important. You are the spokespersons of the party at the polling centres where you have been elected. Those 20 officials are leaders of the party, and you are in charge of promoting the party, speaking on behalf of the party, and speaking on behalf of the President at that polling centre. You are the party,” he said.
The Deputy President said his meeting with the officials was intended to recognise their contribution to UDA and equip them with information on the Government’s performance.
Meru has about 25,000 elected grassroots party officials, including 20 officials from each polling station elected earlier this year. Nationally, UDA’s grassroots network is estimated at more than two million officials.
Kindiki said many of the grassroots officials had invested their own time and resources in organising, promoting and defending the party, despite senior political leaders being based largely in Nairobi.
“I don’t know whether you understand how important you are to our party, because the leaders, like the President, the Fireman and Members of Parliament, are in Nairobi. You are the bosses of the party at the polling centre, where the vote is cast,” he said.
UDA grassroots structure
Kindiki also sought to draw a distinction between UDA and rival political parties, challenging them to demonstrate similar grassroots structures.
He said UDA was unique in having conducted elections for its officials at polling-centre level, arguing that many parties claiming to have grassroots networks had not subjected their officials to similar democratic processes.
“So many parties claim that they have grassroots leaders, but there are no elections that have been conducted at the grassroots level by those parties,” he said.
The Deputy President said the officials would be expected to engage voters on specific Government policies and projects rather than rely on political rhetoric as the 2027 campaigns approach.
He listed roads, agriculture, education, healthcare and programmes targeting young people among the areas the party would use to make its case to voters.
“When we come here with President Ruto next year to campaign, we will list our achievements in Meru and all parts of the country including roads, healthcare, education, etc. When they come, let them also account for their time in office,” he said.
Kindiki cited the reduction in the cost of fertiliser as one of the administration’s achievements, saying the price of a subsidised 50-kilogramme bag had fallen from Sh7,500 in 2022 to Sh2,500, with a further Sh500 reduction announced this week.
He also said the Government was working towards bringing down the price of a two-kilogramme packet of maize flour to Sh100.
On education, the Deputy President said the Government had constructed 23,000 classrooms and 1,600 laboratories, while working towards the recruitment of 120,000 teachers.
He said enrolment in technical and vocational education and training institutions had also increased significantly, rising from 297,000 students in 2022 to 718,000.
Healthcare and Meru projects
In healthcare, Prof Kindiki said 32.3 million Kenyans had registered under the Taifa Care programme, compared with about eight million people who were covered by the former National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
He announced several projects targeting Meru County, including Sh1 billion for the upgrading of Meru Level Five Hospital to a Level Six facility.
The Government has also earmarked Sh44 billion for the construction of more than 500 kilometres of additional tarmac roads in the county, he said.
Meru Dairy is also set to receive a further Sh200 million to expand milk production and processing, according to the Deputy President.
Prof Kindiki said the projects would form part of the administration’s record that UDA officials would take to voters ahead of the next election.
He challenged opposition parties to move beyond political slogans and personalities and instead present alternative policies and account for their own record in government.
The Deputy President said the Kenya Kwanza administration was prepared to put its performance before voters and defend its record at the ballot.
“President William Ruto and I are ready to face the people of Kenya eye to eye, face to face, and explain what this government has done in the last five years,” he said.
