President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has officially kicked off the process for its grassroots elections in 20 counties, including the political backyard of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

This move is widely seen as the opening bell for a fresh round of political jostling within the ruling party. While the actual voting is slated for January 10, 2026, the party opened its online portal for aspirant registration on Thursday, December 4, 2025, effectively firing the starting gun for a month-long campaign period that will test political influence and party unity. For the ordinary Kenyan, this signals a shift in focus by the ruling elite towards internal power contests, raising questions about the prioritization of service delivery over early electioneering.

A Test of Political Might

The elections will unfold in key counties, many of which form the political bedrock of the Kenya Kwanza administration, including Nyeri, Kiambu, Murang'a, Meru, and Nakuru. The focus, however, will inevitably be on Nyeri County, Gachagua's home turf. Analysts note that the outcome here will be interpreted as a direct measure of his enduring influence in the vote-rich Mt. Kenya region following his departure from the Deputy Presidency.

This exercise comes just weeks after a bruising by-election in Mbeere North, which was framed as a proxy battle between factions allied with the current Deputy President, Kithure Kindiki, and those loyal to Gachagua. UDA's narrow 494-vote victory in that contest has intensified the underlying tensions, turning these grassroots polls into the next critical battleground.

The Road to January

The UDA's National Elections Board (NEB), chaired by Anthony Mwaura, confirmed the election roadmap following a joint meeting with the party's National Executive Committee. The meeting was notably chaired by Deputy Party Leader Kithure Kindiki. The party aims to restructure its leadership from the polling centre up to the county level, a move it says is designed to strengthen internal democracy ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The official process is as follows:

• Aspirant Registration: The online portal opened at noon on December 4, 2025, and will close at 5:00 PM on December 23, 2025.
• Campaign Period: Candidates will have from late December through the first week of the new year to campaign.
• Election Day: Polling for grassroots officials is scheduled for Saturday, January 10, 2026.

While details on the total cost of the extensive exercise remain scarce, internal party elections of this scale often run into hundreds of millions of shillings, a significant expenditure of political capital. For families in Nyeri grappling with the high cost of fertilizer and school fees, the focus on party positions over economic relief may feel like a disconnect from their daily realities.

As the registration window opens, all eyes will be on the key figures who declare their candidacies. The results in January will not just select party officials; they will draw the battle lines for the future of the UDA party and the political direction of the Mt. Kenya region.