Senator: Reveal sources of political parties' cash for 2017 campaigns

Nyamira Senator Kennedy Mong'are adress the press during the Kenya Kwanza press conference. Kenya Kwanza, a new lobby group is pushing for the extension of general election date in the country. This was at Serena Hotel on 6/11/2016. [PHOTO:PIUS CHERUIYOT/Standard]

A senator has the raised alarm over the huge amounts being spent by political parties ahead of the 2017 General Election.

Nyamira Senator Kennedy Mong'are has filed an urgent suit at the High Court to compel Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung'u to make public sources of wealth and funding received by registered political parties.

"The registrar has failed in her mandate to publish in the Kenya Gazette and in one daily newspaper the declarations from all registered political parties as required by Section 24 of the Political Parties Act," said the senator.

Section 34 of the Act mandates the registrar to publish annual audited accounts of registered political parties, while Section 24 (20) spells out how the political parties fund shall be retained at the end of each financial year.

Mr Mong'are said the registrar has not published the full list of political parties as the country heads into the election year, or how she has distributed money set aside in the budget to cater for operations of parties.

The senator wants Ms Ndung'u to be summoned to court to explain why she has not complied with certain sections of the Act, which call for accountability in political parties' expenditure.

"The registrar should be compelled to come to court in person within seven days to give evidence why she has failed to ensure that all political parties are accountable and transparent in their procurement processes and expenditure," said Mong'are.

He also wants the registrar to explain why she has not taken action against parties that have failed to disclose their sources of funds.