Thirdway Alliance party proposes imposition of life sentence on graft convicts » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 10 – A section of Thirdway Alliance party officials led by Secretary General Fred Okango Tuesday proposed the imposition of a life sentence penalty on those convicted of graft and decriminalization of electoral fraud.

While making their submissions to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) steering committee, Okango also recommended that anyone facing criminal and corruption cases should be barred from vying for or occupying any public office.

“We have seen instances where the constitution of Kenya has been violated and have not been criminalized and we are therefore recommending that you criminalize violation of the Constitution by all state and public officers and impose a life sentence for those convicted of stealing public money and resources,” he said.

“Further, bar
all persons facing criminal trial, those convicted of a felony from seeking
public and State office.”

In a raft of proposals presented to the Senator Yusuf Haji-led committee, Okango further stated that corruption and theft of public resources cases should be tried within six months.

“Automatically adopt recommendations of all past and present public inquiry and audit reports and bar all those found culpable from holding any public or state office. Corruption and theft of public resources cases to be tried within six months because we have seen cases that take too long and the public gets agitated as they wait for justice,” he said.

The party members further pointed out that that the constitution should have a law to punish politicians who sponsor electoral violence and bar them from ever contesting in elections .

Okango argued that lives have been lost in election violence which has gone unpunished for decades.

He was accompanied by party deputy leader Angela Mwikali and other members.

Thirdway Alliance Party Leader Ekuru Aukot in a statement, however, distanced himself from the presentation made by Okango saying the party had not mandated anyone to make presentations before the BBI committee on its behalf.

He maintained that Okango was expelled by a majority party’s National Executive Council and therefore unfit to speak on behalf of the party.

Tuesday marked
the deadline for the committee to collect views from the public in a townhall
set up, but it will be receiving  written
memoranda until the end of  March before it
retreats to compile a final report to be presented to President Uhuru Kenyatta
by June 30.