The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) says it is intentionally shifting from being solely an electoral entity to a lasting ideological and institutional force.
Central to this transformation is UDA’s decision to benchmark against the Communist Party of China (CPC), which is recognized for its extensive experience in cadre training, political discipline, and grassroots mobilization—considered one of the most structured governance models globally.
A high-level UDA delegation, led by Secretary General Senator Hassan Omar, is currently visiting Zhejiang Province, China, for an intensive benchmarking session at the Zhejiang Provincial Party School, in preparation for the official launch of its Leadership School. The visit is part of UDA’s long-term strategy to establish a modern party school focused on training leaders not just for elections, but for governance, policy implementation, and institutional continuity.
The party says its objective is clear: to build a disciplined, ideologically grounded organization capable of sustaining Kenya’s development agenda across generations. Party officials, led by Omar, assert that “modern governance demands strong political institutions, and strong institutions begin with structured leadership development.”
At the heart of the Zhejiang engagements is the study of the CPC’s “Double Eight Strategy,” an ideological and policy framework credited with driving Zhejiang’s rapid economic transformation.
On Saturday morning, Professor Lu Ning from the Zhejiang CPC Party School delivered a lecture that provided UDA leaders with a comprehensive understanding of development, emphasizing grassroots empowerment, private sector coordination, institutional discipline, and long-term planning.
UDA leaders recognize the “Double Eight Strategy” as closely aligned with Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
“Both models prioritize people-centered development, local enterprise growth, and state facilitation rather than state dominance,” UDA stated in a social media post.
By examining this proven framework, the party believes it can enhance its own policy tools for grassroots economic empowerment and inclusive industrialization.
The Zhejiang delegation includes Senator Danson Mungatana, Turkana County MP Cecilia Ngetit, Senior Presidential Advisor Professor Edward Kisiangani, UDA Executive Director Nicodemus Bore, NEC Member Mark Lumunokol, Dr. Adrian Kamotho of the ENDRC, Omulo Junior (Director of County Affairs), Daniel Kiptoo (Director of Programmes and Partnerships), and Sebastian Mwangangi (Special Advisor to the Secretary General).
The latest visit to China is part of a broader, multi-year engagement between UDA and the CPC that began in 2023, when the two parties agreed to establish a UDA Leadership School under a Party Building and Modernization Roadmap. The roadmap emphasizes leadership training, internal democracy, ideological clarity, and structured grassroots organization.
Secretary General Hassan Omar has consistently framed this cooperation as party-to-party learning, rather than state-to-state alignment. In previous discussions in both Kenya and China, he emphasized that political parties are the engines of national transformation, and that investing in people, ideas, and institutions is more sustainable than pursuing short-term electoral gains.
Omar asserts that people-to-people diplomacy is the true foundation of enduring partnerships. He has highlighted that while infrastructure and trade are crucial, leadership development and institutional capacity ultimately determine the sustainability of development gains.
These themes were reiterated in December during the China–Kenya Readers Forum on Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, held in Nairobi. At the forum, Omar reaffirmed the strategic partnership between UDA and the CPC, describing it as grounded in mutual respect, shared development ideals, and transformative governance.
He highlighted key principles of China’s governance model, including disciplined leadership, long-term strategic planning, innovation, ecological civilization, poverty eradication, and people-centered development—arguing that these principles closely align with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and BETA agenda. He also pointed to the Kenya–China cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, including projects like the Standard Gauge Railway, port modernization, and road infrastructure, as evidence of how structured planning produces tangible outcomes.
According to Omar, strong parties create strong states. He envisions the planned UDA Leadership School as a means to institutionalize ideology, train cadres, strengthen internal systems, and cultivate patriotic, values-driven leaders who understand governance beyond the campaign cycle.
