The United Democratic Alliance has recorded a surge in aspirant numbers, but Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has emphasized that sitting party leaders do not need to register to defend their seats under UDA.
In a statement shared on his social media pages ahead of President William Ruto’s scheduled meeting with aspirants at State House on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, Kindiki said governors, senators, members of parliament, and county assembly members currently in office are not required to sign up at this stage. The clarification aims to guide elected leaders on the registration process as new aspirants continue to join the race.
Figures released by Kindiki show the growing interest in elective positions within the party. He noted that 149 aspirants are seeking 47 gubernatorial seats, 279 are eyeing the 47 elected senator positions, 323 are contesting for 47 woman representative posts, 1,372 are vying for the 290 National Assembly constituencies, and 10,230 hopefuls are competing for the 1,450 ward representative seats.
This brings the total number of registered aspirants to 12,353, reflecting a significant jump from the earlier 7,772 aspirants reported by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi. Speaking earlier, Mudavadi said the numbers were expected to increase steadily as the deadline approached.
“Kufika usiku wa leo, wale ambao wameonyesha interest katika Kenya mzima ni 7,772, na hii namba inazidi kupanda. Huwenda ikifika Jumatano itakuwa imefika 12,000 au 15,000 ya wale ambao wanatafuta kiti cha kisiasa,” Mudavadi said.
The registration drive follows the official launch of the UDA Aspirants Forum by the party’s National Steering Committee under President Ruto’s leadership. The committee has set February 2, 2025, as the deadline for aspirant registration.
Among those who have already completed the registration is former Cherangany legislator Joshua Kutuny, who plans to reclaim the seat he lost in the 2022 elections. The process will culminate with a forum at State House, where President Ruto is expected to meet all registered aspirants on February 4, 2025.
