Malala links Mbarire, Ichung'wah to Gachagua's 'impeachment plot'

By Peter Ochieng

Former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala has accused two leaders from Mt. Kenya region of having orchestrated his ouster from the SG post.

His ouster was confirmed on August 02, 2024 during the Party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, with former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar declared the new SG, albeit on an interim basis.

Addressing the press on Thursday, August 15, 2024, two weeks after his ejection, the former Kakamega Senator accused Kimani Ichung’wah, Majority leader in the National Assembly, and Embu governor Cecily Mbarire of being behind his ouster.

Mbarire doubles up as UDA national chairperson, while Ichung’wah is the Kikuyu Member of Parliament (MP).

According to Malala, his ouster is part of a wide scheme aimed at impeaching Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, orchestrated by the two leaders and others within the party he chose not to name.

“My ouster had nothing to do with incompetence or my inability to run the UDA party, but was a well-choreographed script intended to climax with the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua,” said the vocal former legislature.

President William Ruto is said to have recently met MPs from Mt. Kenya, and reportedly ordered them to go slow on Gachagua’s impeachment bid.

To succeed in their plot of ultimately impeaching the DP, Malala said Ichung’wah and Mbarire had to first oust him, because of his perceived closeness to Gachagua.

“My close and inevitable working relationship with the Deputy President who is also the UDA Deputy Party leader irked them,” he asserted.

“When their concerted efforts, lobbying and coercion to set me up against my Deputy Party leader failed, I was effectively profiled and labelled an obstacle towards their evil plot and conspiracy.”

Speaking days after Malala was ejected from the SG position, Gachagua said that the meeting to oust him was held at 5am in the morning.

He said he wanted to attend at 6am and oppose the bid to remove Malala from the SG position, only to be told that the meeting was over.

Mbarire and Ichung’wah had not reacted to Malala’s allegations, by the time of going to press.