The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has turned the key on its formidable political machinery, initiating a grassroots election process that promises to be as lucrative as it is politically decisive. As the ruling party prepares for polling centre elections scheduled for January 10, 2026, it is eyeing a financial windfall estimated at over KES 300 million—a war chest built on the ambitions of hundreds of thousands of village-level aspirants.

But beneath the staggering figures lies a sharper political reality. Coming over a year after the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, these elections are widely viewed by analysts as the final "sanitization" of the party structure, ensuring that the grassroots leadership is fully aligned with President William Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The Mathematics of Power

To the casual observer, the nomination fees appear modest. An aspirant seeking to be one of the 20 officials at a polling centre pays a non-refundable fee of just KES 200. However, when applied to the sheer scale of UDA’s reach, the numbers become astronomical.

Consider the arithmetic:

• 27,397: The number of polling centres across Kenya (based on IEBC data).
• 20: The number of officials to be elected per centre.
• KES 219 Million: The potential revenue if just two candidates vie for each position at the polling centre level alone.

"It is a volume game," notes a political economist based in Nairobi. "By pricing the entry ticket at the cost of a loaf of bread, UDA is not just raising money; they are buying buy-in. When a villager pays 200 shillings to the party, they are no longer just a voter; they are a shareholder."

The fees scale up with the prestige of the office. Aspirants for the 18 positions available at the ward level will part with KES 1,000, while those eyeing constituency seats will pay KES 2,000. At the county level, the stakes—and the costs—rise significantly, with Chairperson candidates paying KES 20,000.

Purging the 'Rebels'

While the treasury fills up, the political corridors are tense. The National Elections Board (NEB), led by Chairperson Anthony Mwaura, has been emphatic that the exercise must yield a leadership structure that reflects the "current political realignments."

This is diplomatic code for a purge. Following the political fallout of late 2024, the party is keen to ensure that allies of the deposed Deputy President do not capture critical grassroots organs. In recent weeks, Mwaura has warned that elected members who have openly aligned with rival outfits or the former DP's camp should not expect to vie for party positions.

"We are building a machine for 2027, not a debating society for detractors," a senior party official told Streamline News on condition of anonymity. "If you are not singing from the same hymn sheet as the President, why would you want to lead the choir?"

The Jan 10 Litmus Test

The elections, which have faced multiple postponements due to the Gen Z protests and logistical hurdles in 2024, are now set to cover 20 critical counties on January 10. These include political battlegrounds in the Rift Valley and Mt. Kenya regions.

UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar has been crisscrossing these regions, rallying members to register. The party’s strategy is to have the grassroots structure fully constituted by April 2026, culminating in a National Delegates Convention (NDC) that will likely ratify the new national lineup.

For the ordinary Kenyan, the question remains: What does this mean for the cost of living or service delivery? Critics argue that when political parties focus intensely on internal fundraising and power consolidation, governance often takes a backseat. However, supporters argue that a stable, well-funded ruling party is essential for implementing the government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

As the January date approaches, the UDA headquarters at Hustler Plaza is a hive of activity. The party is not just counting votes; it is counting shillings—and loyalty.