By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 31 May 2026 - Political tensions have surfaced within the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), with party leaders in Mombasa urging an end to rising internal divisions reportedly linked to efforts to push out Secretary General Hassan Omar Hassan.
The leaders are now calling for calm and restraint, insisting that any grievances within the party should be handled through established internal dispute resolution mechanisms rather than through political confrontation that risks widening existing fractures.
Speaking in Mombasa, party officials cautioned against what they described as an emerging campaign targeting the party’s Secretary General, warning that continued infighting could undermine the ruling party’s cohesion at a politically sensitive moment.
The leaders framed Omar as a principled figure within the party, describing him as a human rights advocate who has consistently executed his mandate with integrity and commitment to party values.
They argued that calls for his removal were not grounded in performance but were instead fuelled by what they termed “cheap political manoeuvres” within party ranks.
“He has served with dedication and clarity of purpose. Any concerns about his record have already been addressed and clarified,” one of the leaders said, urging restraint and unity.
The internal dispute has now spilled into public demonstrations, with Mombasa County UDA Secretary General Mutungwa Wambua leading hundreds of supporters in a show of solidarity with Omar.
The group urged President William Ruto to intervene and shield the party leadership from what they described as external attempts to destabilise the ruling outfit.
At the centre of the controversy are allegations that Omar made remarks considered inflammatory during President Ruto’s recent Coast tour, particularly in relation to longstanding land injustices in the region. Critics have accused him of propagating divisive and tribally charged messaging.
Ad
More from Kenya
However, his supporters strongly reject the accusations, arguing that his interventions on land issues reflect long-standing grievances in the Coast region and should be understood within the broader context of historical injustices rather than ethnic mobilisation.
They insist that Omar’s advocacy has opened constructive engagement between the Presidency and the Ministry of Lands on resolving contentious land ownership disputes that have affected generations of coastal residents.
Other leaders aligned to Omar have also defended his role, describing his activism as a necessary push for justice and equity, particularly in addressing historical land allocations and marginalisation along the Coast.
The growing rift now exposes deeper fault lines within UDA’s coastal political structure, where competing factions appear to be jostling for influence ahead of future political realignments.
Party insiders warn that failure to manage the dispute internally could escalate tensions and weaken the party’s grassroots mobilisation.
As calls for unity intensify, attention is now shifting to the party’s top leadership and whether President Ruto will step in to calm the storm and enforce discipline within a party increasingly tested by internal power struggles.
For now, what began as an internal disagreement has evolved into a broader political contest over loyalty, ideology and control of the ruling party’s coastal stronghold.
Ad
Ad
More from Kenya
ODM Pressured to Seal Broad-Based Deal Ahead of Kisumu Rally
May 28, 2026
NewsPolitics
Read more →
ODM Reignites Grassroots Machine as Oburu and Wanga Rally Nyanza Ahead of ‘Luo Declaration’
May 28, 2026
Politics
Read more →
Omar: Ruto’s Development Spread Causing ‘Fury’ Among Some Supporters
May 27, 2026
Politics
Read more →