Former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala offered his apologies to the Luhya community over his role in supporting William Ruto in the 2022 elections.

The former senator for Kakamega made the apology while appearing on a live TV interview on Thursday, April 3, 2025.

During a discussion on the political future of the Western region, Malala decried being duped by the current regime that made promises in abundance but did little in terms of delivering the promises to the region.

The politician, who asserts that he was tasked with the responsibility to keep track of the various developmental projects undertaken in the region, voiced his disillusionment with the failure of the Kenya Kwanza administration to effect any meaningful impact on the lives of his community.

“Ningependa kuchukua nafasi hii kuomba jamii yangu msamaha kwa sababu mwaka wa 2022 niliwaelekeza mahali ambapo kwa sasa inaonaneka dhahiri si mahali pazuri,” Malala said.

“Mimi nilikuwa na imani kutokana na ile sera rais alituuzia. Nikasema kama haya maneno ambayo yako kwa manifesto yatakuwa implemented jamii yetu itakuwa pazuri. Kwa sababu alikuja akatugiza barabara 1000km na kufufua zile viwanda zetu na mengine. Lakini vile tulifika kule mambo yalibadilika.

“Mimi nlikuwa Katibu mkuu wa UDA na kazi yangu ilkuwa kuhakikisha zile political promises zimetimizwa. Lakini nikienda kutick katika ile manifesto nilipata kuwa almost 90 percent ya ahadi hatutmizi ,” he said.

“I had high hopes from the policies that the president sold to us. I said that if the projects were to be delivered as they were in the manifesto, then the community would be in a better place since he (the president) promised 1000km of roads and reviving our various industries. Things, however, changed after the elections. I was the UDA Secretary General, and my job was to ensure all the political promises had been fulfilled. But on checking the delivery of the projects, most of them were not fulfilled,” he said.

Malala referenced Ruto’s pledge to revive the Nzoia Sugar industry, the fallen Pan Paper Mill, and other infrastructural projects among those remaining unattended two and a half years since the government captured power.

The politician, who was ousted from the party in July 2024, further castigated a section of Luhya leaders for prioritizing personal positions over important projects set to benefit the entire community.

“I was on the table that decided how resources are distributed. But when the goodies came, they went to other houses and not ours. We were told that we have been given the speaker’s role and Prime Cabinet Secretary positions,” he recounted.

“Nimekasirika pia na wabunge wale walienda juzi State House. Lakini ile agenda walipeleka kwa President eti tungependa nafasi yetu ya Spika na zingine zisiende. We are not interested in personal possession; what we are interested in is to see Nzoia, Mumias, na ahadi zingine zitekelezwe,” he said.

On signaling the way forward, Malala has hinted at the prospects of embracing an alternative leadership for the region if the current establishment fails in its mandate to deliver on its promises to the community.

“In 2027, if these leaders would not have delivered what they promised our people, they would have no reason to lead us. Let’s get other people who can lead the community,“ he asserted.