Our History

On 15 January 1999, reformers who had broken with KANU — among them William Ruto, Kipruto arap Kirwa and interim chairman Fred Amayo — lodged papers to register the United Democratic Movement. The Registrar rejected the application on 30 June 1999.

After a court challenge, on 11 May 2001 the High Court ordered the Registrar to register UDM. By the 2002 general election many of its founders had moved on to other parties, and UDM remained a small outfit.

UDM aligned with the Orange Democratic Movement, backing Raila Odinga's presidential bid — the party's first taste of national coalition politics.

A faction led by William Ruto considered taking over UDM in 2012 before forming the United Republican Party. The party later featured in opposition coalitions and, in 2016, unveiled Philip Murgor as its 2017 presidential candidate.

Mandera Governor H.E. Capt. Ali Ibrahim Roba acquired UDM and re-launched it as the political vehicle for northern Kenya's long-marginalised frontier counties.

At the 9 August 2022 election UDM won two governors (Mandera and Marsabit), two senators, seven MPs — including four of Mandera's six constituencies (Mandera North, South, West and Banissa) — and more than 38 ward representatives.

On 18 August 2022 UDM moved to President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza; the pact was signed in Karen on 20 August. Ruto — himself a 1999 founder of UDM — welcomed the party, joking: 'I am actually the founder of UDM; thank you for bringing the party home.'

From offices across Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Garissa and Isiolo, UDM is running grassroots membership drives and, in the Party Leader's words, has its 'eyes fixed on 2027 and beyond.'