Kenya: ANC MP Loses Azimio Bill Amendment to Restrict Coalition Parties to State House Race

Nairobi — Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Leader Raila Odinga and his handshake partner President Uhuru Kenyatta marshalled there troops in the House to reject an amendment that sought to have coalition parties only field candidates for the presidential ticket was thwarted.

This is after Nambale MP Sakwa Bunyasi, a members of the Amani National Congress party, failed to have his amendment sail through after 132 lawmakers voted against it against 111 mostly allied to Deputy President William Ruto who backed it.

The amendment sought to amend clause 8 of the Political Parties Amendment Bill by introducing a new clause 8c requiring that a coalition political party shall only field candidates for election as President.

Should the amendment have passed, it would have dealt a blow to the quest by proponents of the Bill to have Governors, Senators, MPs and MCAs vie on a coalition ticket.

Opposing the amendment, Majority Leader in the National Assembly Amos Kimunya termed it unconstitutional saying that it goes against Article 38 of the Constitution

“You cannot define what a political party can do or cannot do. A political party is at liberty to nominate candidates at whatever level and limiting it will be the most unfortunate thing in this country,” said Kimunya.

Earlier Deputy President William Ruto suffered a major blow after an amendment by Garissa Township MP Aden Duale to have the clause on the timelines of formation of coalitions before a general election deleted was defeated.

This is after 128 MPs voted to have the amendment thwarted while 104 MPs voted for it.

Those in support said there should be no timelines for parties to form coalitions.

Clause 8b of the Political Parties Amendment Bill of 2021 proposes to have coalitions by political parties submit their coalition agreement at least six months before a general election.

While prosecuting the amendment before the House, Duale argued that the clause was aimed at sanitizing “political conmanship in coalition agreements each electioneering season.”

“This House should not be used as a decoy in achieving selfish political interest and use this house to sanitize the character of certain leaders and parties who are known for political deceit every time, they enter into a coalition agreement with other parties,” said Duale.