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Former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala who now doubles up as the Secretary General of President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance Party has vowed to ‘paint Kisumu yellow’.

Malala has announced that he will be meeting over 5000 new UDA members on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in the county that is perceived as ODM leader Raila Odinga’s bastion.

Malala, who was recently appointed UDA’s Secretary General on an acting capacity, says that he will be opening the ruling party’s offices in the lakeside county and will preside over a party member’s registration drive.

“The party has rolled out mass registration of new members and you will soon be witnessing county interactions. This weekend my first assignment will be to go and meet the 5,325 registered UDA party members. I will be opening the UDA office on Saturday in Kisumu. We shall have an event of its kind. Kisumu is going to be painted yellow,” he said.

The former lawmaker reiterated his commitment to the party and exuded confidence that he will deliver on his new role.

“As the Secretary-General, the bar has been set high and the responsibility before me is not light and I am up to the task. With the support of the secretariat and all party organs, I will fully adopt and embrace the vision of our party leader which is to make UDA the greatest party of all time and an institution that will outlive its leadership,” he added.

Malala appointed UDA Sec-Gen

Cleophas Malala was last week appointed Secretary General of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party in an acting capacity.

In leadership changes announced after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Monday, February 27, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungw’ah also named Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire as the new chairperson of the ruling party.

Malala, who has since resigned as a member of the Amani National Congress (ANC) party, takes over from nominated Senator Veronica Maina while Governor Mbarire replaces Johnson Muthama, who was recently fronted to the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) as a member.

In the new changes, East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament Omar Hassan replaces Kipruto Arap Kirwa as Vice Chairman while Kitutu Chache North MP Japheth Nyakundi replaces Omingo Magara as National Treasurer.

Ichung’wah said the leaders will hold the positions in an interim capacity pending the party’s elections set for August this year.

“This party requires the services of a full-time secretary general, someone who will devote all his time and energy to the job,” the Kikuyu MP said.

“I know many may be asking why Veronica had to exit now but you all realise that Veronica is a nominated Senator and she is devoting a lot of her energy to the senate and we were deliberate to bring in Malala on a full-time basis in serving the party.

“As much as they come into the office on an interim basis we also intend to hold free fair and democratic elections right from the grassroots in our polling centres across the country later this year I believe in August. The actual date will be communicated,” he added.