Garissa Township MP Aden Duale has promised to marshal lawmakers allied to Deputy President William Ruto into opposing the Political Parties Amendment Bill that is set for debate.
The former National Assembly Majority Leader said the bill is being pushed by people who want to cut back the gains made in the democratic space and governance enjoyed by political parties.
Last week, Speaker Justin Muturi issued a notice for special sittings of the National Assembly on 21st December 2021 and 22nd December 2021 to among other issues debate the bill which will pave the way for the formation of coalitions ahead of next year’s general elections.
And should the Bill pass, Duale says there are many options available to ensure that it will not see the light of day.
“Most of its proposals are an affront to the bill of rights as detailed in the 2010 constitution. We will challenge the bill in court should it be approved by the house,” Duale said.
“This bill is interfering with the political parties act and for the first time is creating a myriad of definitions among them clause 2, 5, and 8 d. So, the whole architecture of the political parties’ definition is being redone,” he added.
Duale said that the political parties fund was well structured in the 2010 Constitution noting that as it stands for any political party to access the funds it must get a certain number of votes.
The MP claimed that the formula in the bill would see even fringe parties that do not qualify to be a parliamentary party.
“This bill is also introducing a very rigid requirement for the conduct of party nominations. This is a plan to lock out aspirants and candidates if this bill is passed which will be contravening article 38 of the constitution,” he said
‘For the first time in the history of Kenya, we have a very mischievous proposal that amounts to interference in the internal affairs of political parties,” he added