Kenya: Independent Candidates Move to Court to Be Allowed to Form Coalitions

Nairobi — Independent candidates have filed a petition in court seeking to form coalitions and the 1,000 Identity Card photocopies requirement declared illegal.

Through lawyer Dansan Omari, the Free Kenya Movement also want the High Court to allow them to form coalitions with other parties.

They also want the Political Parties Act declared unconstitutional.

According to Omari, independent candidates should be given an opportunity to exerciser their constitutional rights.

He said that in 2013, parliament had four independent candidates while in 2017, there were more than 13 and the number is likely to increase in the August elections.

The lawyer further said that the existing political parties had already given tickets people who had pledged their loyalties and independent candidates should be given an opportunity to exercise their constitutional rights.