Malala Blames Ouster on Push to Hold Ruto Accountable Over Unfulfilled Election Promises

Cleophas Malala, the former Secretary General of the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), has come out guns blazing, accusing top party officials and President William Ruto of pushing him out for demanding accountability on promises made to Kenyans during the 2022 General Election campaigns.

In a blistering exposé, Malala says he was branded a mole for compiling and tracking the government’s pledges to uplift hustlers and grow the economy from the bottom up. He now claims that his removal was a political punishment for standing by the people, not the powerful.

Malala’s revelations have stirred political waters, laying bare the growing cracks in Ruto’s inner circle. His remarks have also reignited debate over the unfulfilled election promises that many Kenyans say remain just words. [Photo: Courtesy]

Malala Says He Was Ousted for Questioning Unfulfilled Election Promises

Speaking over the weekend, Malala revealed that while serving as UDA Secretary General, he took it upon himself to compile all campaign pledges made by the president and the ruling party into one document. His goal? To track progress and ensure delivery.

But instead of praise, he says he was met with hostility. “When I was Secretary General of UDA, I tried to bring all the matters and issues that we promised and compiled them into a single document,” Malala said. “But it became impossible for the leadership to actualise what they had promised. When we tried to raise pertinent issues, we were seen as moles.”

Malala said he reminded the party leadership about the original UDA philosophy—uplifting the lives of those at the bottom of the economic pyramid. But that too, he claims, was seen as an act of betrayal.

“We listed the party’s philosophy, and when we told the president that this was your guiding principle, he saw us as people who had lost faith in him,” he said. “That’s when they decided to kick me out.”

From UDA Exit to Political Awakening

In August 2024, Malala’s tenure as UDA Secretary General was abruptly ended during a National Executive Council meeting chaired by UDA’s National Chairperson, Cecily Mbarire.

“The appointment of Cleophas Malala as the interim Secretary General is hereby revoked. These changes are effective immediately,” the party stated.

Now the deputy party leader of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), Malala sees his ouster not as a setback, but as a blessing.

“I have never regretted leaving UDA,” he said. “It was a blessing in disguise. I would have sunk with the entire ship.”

He claims that remaining silent would have meant betraying the people who trusted UDA to transform their lives. Instead, he chose principle over political survival.

His comments reflect a growing frustration within the Kenya Kwanza coalition, with many accusing the administration of abandoning its promises, especially on issues of economic inclusion, job creation, and cost of living.

A Dysfunctional Government and a Broken Parliament

Beyond his criticism of UDA, Malala delivered a fiery indictment of Kenya’s current political leadership, claiming the country is in a state of total confusion.

“We are in a messed-up country that cannot be defined or pinned down,” Malala said. “When it comes to legislation, we have the most confused parliament since independence. We do not know who is the majority, who is the minority, who is the government, and who is the opposition.”

He blames both the presidency and Parliament for lacking direction, saying Kenyans are being misled while power games dominate national politics.

Malala’s frustrations come barely a month after he called for the government’s dissolution. That call followed a court ruling that quashed the panel which had impeached his close ally, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua—a ruling that rattled Kenya Kwanza’s fragile power balance.