Council of Governors Chair Martin Wambora gives his views on the Political parties (Amendment) Bill before a Senate Committee on January 20, 2021.
| Jeff Angote | Nation Media GroupPolitics
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How the coalition party law changes the game
What you need to know:
- President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the Bill early Thursday at a ceremony attended by senior officials.
- New law hands the registrar’s office massive powers in the management political parties.
With the new law, political parties will now enter into talks and where they agree to work together, submit the instruments of their coalitions to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties four months to polls date.
For August 9 general election, party leaders eyeing Raila Odinga’s Azimio La Umoja, Dr William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza and One Kenya Alliance, led by Kalonzo Musyoka and Gideon Moi, have until April 9 to meet this requirement
Besides formation of coalitions, the new law hands the registrar’s office massive powers in the management political parties, including overseeing their nominations.
Parties that enter into alliances will have to conduct joint primaries to pick candidates for a general election.
Only fully registered members of a political party or a coalition will be allowed to participate in the primaries which will be executed through a list submitted to the registrar.
In the past, moneyed aspirants have exploited their deep pockets and won the primaries by transporting voters across the electoral units.
Building political coalitions
This will be a thing of the past as only those voters whose names appear in the list issued by the registrar will be allowed to take part in the primaries
Any individual who holds a public office by virtue of his membership in a political party shall continue serving in their post whether such a person defects to another party or their party is deregistered.
The law further mandates anyone applying to have a political party registered to submit to the registrar a slogan and a statement detailing its ideology for approval.
Supporters of the law believe it will contribute to institutionalisation of political parties.
"Hygiene has been lacking in our politics because of low levels of trust among political partners. This law will anchor alliances in law and obligate all coalition partners to adhere to the agreements they commit themselves to before and after the polls," said Jubilee coalition Joint Party Parliamentary Secretary Aden Keinan.
“This new law will take Kenya to another level because we shall hence be concerned with building political coalitions rather than ethnic alliances.”
Nominated Senator Abshiro Halake said the law will ensure the sustainability of political parties.
Fallout in Raila's camp
Deputy President’s allies have, however, rubbished the law with the Elgeyo Marakwet Kipchumba Murkomen predicting a fallout in Mr Odinga’s camp during April primaries.
“We have passed the Bill and effectively given Azimio the rope they wanted to hand themselves,” the senator said in a tweet after the final vote was taken in the House.
“Let no one come back crying to us after the April nominations.”
Earlier during debate, Mr Murkomen had described the Bill as “terrible, hopeless and useless” while warning his colleagues from the rival camp that they will be the first victims of the law.
Mr Kenyatta signed the Bill early yesterday at a ceremony attended by Attorney-General Paul Kihara, Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka, his National Assembly counterpart Justin Muturi as well as House Majority Leaders Samuel Poghisio (Senate) and Amos Kimunya (National Assembly).
Others were Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, State House Deputy Chief of Staff Njee Muturi as well as House Clerks Jeremiah Nyegenye (Senate) and Michael Sialai (National Assembly).
