Chaos erupted at the UDA Budalangi office opening after rival factions within the ruling party clashed in a supremacy battle, disrupting the event for several hours.
The confrontation came amid tensions over the party’s grassroots mobilisation efforts in the region, with officials Susan Mang’eni and Kelvin Lunani accusing former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba of undermining UDA’s activities.
The chaos reportedly erupted after supporters allied to former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba objected to the presence of PS Susan Mang’eni, who had been invited to officially open the Budalangi UDA office as part of the President’s grassroots mobilisation drive.
The confrontation forced the meeting into disarray for several hours before calm was restored. Speaking to the media after the dust settled, PS Mang’eni and UDA National Vice Chairperson Kelvin Lunani accused Namwamba of undermining efforts to strengthen the party in Busia County and sabotaging the President’s grassroots mobilisation agenda.
Mang’eni delivered a hard-hitting attack, questioning Namwamba’s loyalty to President William Ruto.
“I know for sure Ababu Namwamba is not for the President because if he were, he would not be scattering a meeting meant to amplify what the President is doing on the ground. He cannot be sponsoring goons,” Mang’eni said.
Lunani echoed the accusations, telling Namwamba that he was free to leave the party rather than allegedly use goons to disrupt political gatherings. He called for restraint and sobriety among UDA members as the party seeks to consolidate its grassroots structures.
The two were accompanied by Kennedy Omulo, who also criticised Namwamba, accusing him of being ungrateful despite what he described as the support and opportunities he had received from the ruling administration.
The ugly scenes expose growing fault lines within UDA as rival camps battle for influence and control of the party’s grassroots structures in the region.
