Senator Veronica Maina has urged interested aspirants to turn up and present themselves for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party nominations scheduled for January 10, 2025, ahead of upcoming by-elections.

The said nominations will be held in three wards following vacancies created after former ward representatives defected to participate in the recently concluded by-elections.

In a statement shared on her social media pages in the early hours of Wednesday, January 7, 2025, Maina, who was the first secretary general of UDA, confirmed that the party primaries will take place in two wards in Mbeere North Constituency, Embu County, as well as West Kabras Ward in Kakamega County.

According to the announcement, UDA will conduct MCA nominations in Evurore Ward and Muminji Ward in Mbeere North as part of its continued push to strengthen grassroots leadership and return decision-making power to party members.

“We are back to Mbeere North! The journey continues as the UDA party returns to the people to give power back to the grassroots. Party nominations for MCA positions will be conducted in Evurore Ward and Muminji Ward in Mbeere North, Embu County,” Senator Maina said.

She called on party members to turn out in large numbers during the exercise, noting that the nominations present an opportunity for residents to actively shape the leadership of their respective wards.

Members in West Kabras Ward were also urged to prepare for the exercise and fully participate as scheduled, as the party seeks to field candidates ahead of the by-elections.

This comes on the heels of the UDA party announcing changes to its internal nomination schedule for upcoming by-elections in the three county assembly wards.

The party’s National Elections Board (NEB), led by Chairman Anthony Mwaura, issued the notice on January 6, 2026, confirming the new timeline.

Grassroot elections

Apart from the nominations, the party will conduct grassroots elections, known as Party Polling Centre elections, on Saturday, January 17, 2026. These internal polls elect local party officials at polling station level and help strengthen UDA’s organisation in the wards.

“The notice targets party members, aspirants, officials, and stakeholders in Evurore Ward and Muminji Ward in Embu County, as well as West Kabras Ward in Kakamega County. UDA plans to hold party nominations on Saturday, 10 January 2026, in these wards,” the notice reads.

“Aspirants compete for the chance to represent the party in the by-elections set for 26 February 2026. Following the nominations, UDA schedules grassroots elections—known as Party Polling Centre elections—for the same three wards only on Saturday, 17 January 2026. These internal polls elect local party officials at the polling station level.”

November 27, 2025 by-elections

This comes days after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) gazetted the 3 areas for by-elections, which are supposed to be held February 26, 2026

The 3 areas kabras westward were left vacant after David Ndakwa, who had been the MCA for 2 terms, resigned to contest for Malava constituency during the November 27, 2025 byelection, where he won with a razor-thin margin

In Evoore ward, Dancun Mbui resigned to contest for Mbeere North Constituency byelections on a Chama Cha Kazi ticket after ditching the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) ticket, where he came in at a distant third

In Muminji ward, its MCA, Newton Kariuki, ditched to contest for the Mbeere North seat and lost it narrowly  to Leonard Wamuthunde of the UDA party