President William Ruto is facing a new political challenge following the launch of a new party, the United Summit Party (USP), by a close ally of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
As reported by People’s Daily Newspaper on January 28, 2025, this development has raised questions about Mudavadi’s political future and his alignment with Ruto’s administration.
The new party was announced after Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) merged with Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), a move that sparked discontent among several ANC members.
The launch of USP is being spearheaded by Godfrey Kanoti, a key founding member of ANC, alongside prominent political figures like communications strategist Barrack Muluka, former presidential candidate Walter Mong’are, and Caleb Burudi, who previously played a critical role in rallying support for the Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K) in Western Kenya.
These individuals are now positioning USP as an alternative political platform for the Luhya community and other interested groups.
The merger of ANC and UDA has not been well received by everyone within ANC.
Several branches of the party have expressed their dissatisfaction with the dissolution of ANC and the alliance with UDA.
These members are determined to chart a different course and have pledged their allegiance to the new party instead.
The dissatisfaction within ANC suggests that USP may serve as a political fallback for Mudavadi, who faced criticism for dissolving his party without broader consultation.
The formation of USP could also be seen as a way for Mudavadi to maintain his political influence in Western Kenya, a region that has traditionally been considered his stronghold.
USP aims to consolidate support in the vote-rich Western Kenya region, as reported by People’s Daily Newspaper.
The party’s leadership believes that by uniting the Luhya community, they can reclaim the political power that has increasingly been dominated by parties like ODM.
USP’s primary goal appears to be securing either a presidential ticket or the deputy president position in future elections, thus strengthening the Luhya political voice at the national level.
USP is positioning itself as a party that will advocate for the interests of the Mulembe community, which is often underrepresented in national politics.
However, the party is not limiting itself to just one ethnic group. The organizers have emphasized that USP will welcome leaders from various backgrounds who share their vision of a more inclusive and representative political landscape.
This approach could broaden the party’s appeal and increase its chances of becoming a key player in the political future of Kenya.The party’s founders are already preparing for intense grassroots mobilization.
They are committed to ensuring that their message reaches all corners of Western Kenya, particularly those areas where political engagement has been traditionally low.
The organizers of USP are confident that their efforts will bear fruit and that they will soon be a formidable force in the national political arena.
The merger of UDA and ANC earlier led to big structural changes within UDA. Some key ANC leaders were absorbed into leadership roles within the new party structure.
However, the formation of USP highlights the divisions that still exist within the larger political field. While UDA and ANC may have joined forces on paper, the emergence of USP shows that Mudavadi’s supporters are still determined to carve out their own political identity.
Only time will tell if USP will succeed in its quest to challenge the dominance of parties like ODM and become a key player in Kenya’s political future.
