Former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala has spoken out for the first time since his dramatic exit from the ruling party, declaring that he has no regrets and describing his departure as “a blessing in disguise.”
Speaking on Spice FM on June 23, the former Kakamega Senator opened up about the frustrations he encountered while serving as UDA’s Secretary General. Malala claimed he was sidelined for raising what he termed “genuine and pertinent issues” about the party’s internal operations and its commitment to its founding principles.
“When I was Secretary General of UDA, I tried to encapsulate all those promises and break them down into reasonable timelines and implementation metrics, but it was almost impossible to actualise what they had promised,” Malala stated.
He said his efforts to hold the party accountable to its much-publicized “bottom-up” economic philosophy were met with suspicion, and he was eventually branded a mole for questioning the direction of the government. Malala specifically pointed to his criticisms of underperforming cabinet secretaries as a turning point.
“I came from China and pointed out specific cabinet secretaries who were failing in their duties. That’s where my problems began,” he explained.
Using a vivid maritime metaphor, Malala compared his experience in UDA to being aboard a sinking ship.
“You try to correct the technical errors first, check the radar and nautical miles—but when it becomes impossible to save the ship, you jump to save yourself,” he said. “Being kicked out helped me realise the ship was already sinking.”
Since leaving UDA, Malala has joined the Democracy for Citizens Party, led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, where he now serves as deputy party leader.
He dismissed suggestions that he should have remained loyal to UDA for the sake of political unity. “When you’re inside the ship, you don’t see it sinking. Sometimes you need to be thrown out to see clearly,” he said.
Malala’s remarks offer a rare glimpse into the growing internal tensions within the ruling party, as political realignments continue to take shape ahead of 2027.
