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Kenya: Registrar of Political Parties Urges Parties to Resolve Disputes By April 22

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Nairobi — The Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu has urged political parties to ensure they resolve nomination disputes April 22.

Nderitu revealed that already, they have received complaints from some eligible aspirants in some parties over the issuance of direct tickets but they cannot address the grievances as its not within their purview.

“We have received complains of the issue of direct ticket issuance to some candidates. But as we know the selection of aspirants is the sole responsibility of political parties. Political parties may issue tickets using different methods including consensus or affirmative action,” she said.

The registrar of political parties mentioned that even as political parties are at liberty to choose the stipulated method in law to choose candidates for the August 9th polls, it should be exercised fairly.

“We may not want really to curtail the process of political parties because the purpose of nomination is to ensure you have the best candidates. Fairness should however be exercised, “she said.

Nderitu advised aggrieved individuals in the conduct of party primaries by any political vehicle should use the availed dispute resolution mechanism.

“We have dispute resolution mechanism stipulated in law including the political parties tribunal. We may not wish to usurp the powers of political parties in as far as nominations is concerned,” she noted.

She further directed parties to submit make public details concerning party nominations.

Nderitu stated that political outfits should indicate whether they have resorted to use direct nominations through universal suffrage or indirect nomination by way of consensus or delegate system.

“They ought to declare on which method they intend to use to conduct party primaries and make it public and submitted to the registar of political parties,”she said.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has initiated the process of refunding nomination fees to candidates in places where the party has resorted to direct nominations.

Days after releasing a schedule on party primaries from April 1 to April 22 using the universal suffrage method of registered members, the party has commenced issuing direct ticket to some contenders.

In areas where a ticket has attracted more than one eligible candidate and the party had issued a direct ticket the National Election Board (NEB) has promised to return the nomination fee to the unsuccessful contenders.