A section of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) members in Mombasa has come out in defence of Secretary General Hassan Omar as pressure mounts from some Mount Kenya leaders demanding his resignation over alleged ethnic and divisive remarks.
Omar has faced criticism over comments he made last week during President William Ruto’s issuance of 33,000 title deeds to residents of the Coast region. Critics accused him of promoting division and profiling a section of the population.
The UDA Secretary General has since apologised and clarified his remarks, maintaining that they were never intended to demean, offend, or target any community. Despite the apology, calls for his resignation continue to gain momentum, with some UDA-allied legislators and opposition leaders threatening to petition the party leader if he declines to step down.
Defending Omar, UDA members led by Said Twaha argued that his remarks had been misconstrued by leaders from the Central region. They said he was merely advocating for the return of grabbed land to its rightful owners.
“I don’t see any wrongdoing. He was not trying to create division among communities. For many years, we have co-existed harmoniously with the Kikuyu and Somali communities. We have lived together, intermarried, and maintained peaceful relations,” said Twaha.
