UDA Plans Leadership School Inspired by China’s Communist Party Model

Kenya’s ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is developing a leadership school modelled on elements of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) cadre training system, as part of efforts to strengthen its internal structures and long-term leadership development.

The initiative marks a shift by UDA from operating mainly as an election-focused party towards building a permanent institution centred on organised training, discipline and leadership continuity. Party officials say the school is intended to support leaders at national and grassroots levels through structured programmes rather than ad hoc political mobilisation.

A UDA delegation led by Secretary General Hassan Omar Hassan is currently in China to study the CCP’s approach to leadership training and grassroots organisation. The group includes Senator Danson Mungatana, Women’s Representative Cecilia Ngetit, Senior Adviser Prof Edward Kisiangani and UDA Executive Director Nicodemus Bore. They were formally received in Hangzhou by Lu Qingmin, deputy principal of the Zhejiang Provincial Party School.

According to party officials, planning for the leadership school is at an advanced stage. They say the aim is not to adopt Chinese ideology, but to learn from organisational systems that have supported the CCP’s longevity and internal cohesion. The lessons, they add, will be adapted to fit Kenya’s democratic and multi-party system.

President William Ruto has repeatedly called for UDA to develop beyond electoral success. Party leaders describe the proposed school as a central pillar in building future leadership and ensuring consistency in values and organisational practice across the party.

The CCP’s structure differs sharply from Kenya’s political environment. It operates under “democratic centralism”, with authority concentrated at the top under President Xi Jinping and the Politburo Standing Committee. The party maintains extensive influence across government and society, supported by a membership of more than 100 million people and a strong emphasis on ideological training and internal discipline.

UDA leaders say they are studying these organisational features while remaining mindful of Kenya’s constitutional order and political freedoms. They argue that discipline, training and long-term planning can be strengthened without undermining democratic competition.

UDA was founded in 2012 as the Party of Action and later underwent several rebrandings before adopting its current name in 2020 under the “hustler nation” platform. In the 2022 general election, it became the leading party within the Kenya Kwanza Alliance, securing the presidency and significant representation in Parliament.

Since taking office, President Ruto has increased efforts to consolidate party structures at the grassroots level. These efforts include large-scale meetings with polling centre officials, most recently involving more than 17,000 participants in Nyeri, as part of preparations for the 2027 elections.