State should fund political parties adequately

Democracy has been hailed as the best form of government for many decades. It informs a system of governance that allows the majority to get their way, while the minority have their say. To deviate from such an arrangement, is fodder for anarchy.

In most countries, democracy is nurtured and structured through political parties. In Kenya, the Political Parties Act, 2011, requires funding of at least 0.3 per cent of the latest audited revenue collected by the national government. Parties are guaranteed State-funding based on the strength of their numbers in Parliament. While this is the law, many political parties claim they have not received a penny from the government, thereby curtailing their capacity to strengthen democracy.