A fresh political storm has erupted inside the ruling United Democratic Alliance after a section of lawmakers from the Mt Kenya region demanded the resignation of the party’s Secretary General Hassan Omar over remarks they described as ethnic profiling against the Kikuyu community.
The legislators, who addressed the press on Wednesday, dismissed Hassan Omar’s public apology and clarification as inadequate, insisting that the comments he allegedly made during a political gathering in Mombasa had crossed the line and could not be brushed aside with a statement.
The MPs accused the UDA Secretary General of making divisive remarks while discussing historical land injustices at the Coast, arguing that his statements unfairly targeted members of the Mt Kenya community and risked fuelling ethnic tensions at a politically sensitive moment for the country.
In a strongly worded address, the lawmakers said the ruling party was founded on the promise of national unity and inclusivity and warned that leaders occupying senior positions should not engage in rhetoric that appears to alienate communities.
“As elected Members of Parliament, we speak today with one clear and equal vocal voice. We flatly reject the statement of clarification and apology issued by the UDA Secretary General, Honourable Hassan Omar. An apology cannot erase or excuse calculated ethnic profiling,” the MPs declared.
The lawmakers maintained that every Kenyan has a constitutional right to live, invest, own property and conduct business in any part of the country without intimidation or ethnic targeting. They argued that Omar’s remarks undermined those principles and threatened the cohesion the Kenya Kwanza administration has repeatedly preached since taking power.
The MPs demanded Hassan Omar’s immediate resignation from the powerful party position and issued a 48-hour ultimatum, warning that failure to step aside would trigger further political action within the ruling coalition.
“We demand nothing less than the immediate resignation of Honourable Hassan Omar. Enough is enough. Pack your things and leave our party,” the legislators said.
The dispute now threatens to expose widening cracks within President William Ruto’s ruling party at a time when political alignments ahead of the 2027 Kenyan General Election are already beginning to take shape.
The controversy stems from remarks reportedly made by Hassan Omar during a political event at the Coast where he spoke about historical land ownership disputes, an issue that has remained politically sensitive for decades in the region. Critics interpreted the remarks as targeting Kikuyu landowners and business people living at the Coast, sparking backlash from leaders allied to the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Since the remarks surfaced, politicians from Mt Kenya and other regions have intensified pressure on the UDA leadership to take disciplinary action against the Secretary General, arguing that the party cannot claim to champion unity while tolerating statements perceived to be ethnically divisive.
The growing rebellion also places additional pressure on the UDA leadership to contain internal tensions that have increasingly emerged in recent months over succession politics, regional interests and competition for influence within President Ruto’s camp.
Some grassroots leaders from Mt Kenya have already threatened to reconsider their loyalty to the ruling party if no action is taken against Hassan Omar, a development that could complicate UDA’s efforts to maintain its political dominance in one of its key support bases.
Despite the uproar, Hassan Omar has defended himself, saying his remarks were taken out of context and insisting that he was addressing historical injustices rather than targeting any community. However, the explanation appears to have done little to calm anger among a section of UDA leaders who now want tougher action taken against him.
