Defectors to cost taxpayers Sh1 billion in case of by-elections

Taxpayers would have to part with Sh1 billion for mini-elections if rebel Opposition MPs are to lose their seats.

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has kick-started the process of expelling more than 10 members of the National Assembly and two governors who have associated themselves with the new Jubilee Party.

A protracted legal battle is expected between the rebels and the party but in the event it leads to by-elections prior to the August 8, 2017 General Election, taxpayers would have to shoulder the burden.

Thursday, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) assured the Orange party that it was ready to conduct the mini-polls if the seats were declared vacant.

The commission said once the seats are declared vacant, they will draw a budget for the exercise and present it to National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich to release the funds.

The Commission's Communications Manager Andrew Limo said they are ready to conduct any by-election whenever they occur.

"The commission's mandate is to conduct any election whenever they occur. We will draw a budget and present it to National Treasury to give us funds. We have the capacity at any time to conduct the by-elections," said Mr Limo.

According to the commission, it costs Sh200 million to conduct a by-election in a county, Sh50 million in a constituency and Sh18 million in a county assembly ward.

This means that should the seats be declared vacant for the two governors, the ten National Assembly seats and the various wards, the taxpayer will spend at least Sh1 billion.

Employ teachers

The money is enough to construct a fully-equipped referral hospital in a county or employ at least 2,500 teachers to reduce the current shortage.

With Sh1 billion, it is enough to buy at least four state-of-the-art Linear Accelerator (Cancer Machine) which costs Sh250 million each and reduce the burden of cancer patients waiting for long to get treatment.

The defections will also be costly for the political parties that must conduct nominations to pick their candidates in the mini-polls.

The Sh1 billion will be used to purchase ballot papers, pay the clerks, security apparatus, transport and other logistics and for hiring tallying centres in areas of the by-election.

But the commission cautioned that should the seats be declared vacant and candidates nominated to contest, they should ensure that if any wants to drop his ambition then s/he should do so before the ballot papers are printed. The electoral body learnt a lesson when they printed ballot papers during the Gatundu South by-election that pitted the current MP Moses Kuria against New Democratic Party's Kiarie Kamere who pulled out of the race in last minute.

On Tuesday, the Raila Odinga-led Orange party through its disciplinary committee wrote to 13 members who have publicly declared their defections asking them to show cause why they should not be de-registered from the party.

Disciplinary Committee

Those targeted are governors Ukur Yatani (Marsabit), Salim Mvurya (Kwale), Deputy Governor Joash Maangi (Kisii), MPs Steven Kariuki (Mathare), Mpuri Aburi (Tigania East), Gideon Mung'aro (Kilifi North), Mustafa Iddi (Kilifi South), Cyprian Kubai (Igembe Central) and James Rege (Karachuonyo).

Others are Samuel Arama (Nakuru Town West), John Waluke (Sirisia) nominated MP Isaac Mwaura and Kwale County Woman Representative Zainabu Chidzuga.

The party's Disciplinary Committee Chairman Fred Athuok said that the law on political parties was clear and that they would send the resolution to the Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung'u to effect the deregistration.

Bu while ODM and Moses Wetangula's Ford Kenya party threatened to kick the rebels out, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka challenged defectors from his party to resign to test their popularity in a by-election.

"I want to challenge those who defected from Wiper party to resign formally and seek re-election. It is immoral to continue earning from the taxpayer almost Sh1 million when you have joined another political party other than the one that sponsored you," he said.

The polls body had also set a maximum cap on how much money a candidate can spend.