Leaders have a right to switch parties

Change of party allegiance within one’s tenure of an elective office cannot be criminalised. In a competitive political environment synonymous with our dynamic politics, it can only be respect and acknowledgement of an elected leader’s democratic right to assess whether his interests and that of his/her constituency are catered for in the outfit that propelled him/ her to the seat.

Factors that determine satisfaction of an elected leader’s in the party whose ticket one used to enter Parliament can drastically change even within one year in office. It would demonstrate a draconian tendency if a party was to wield so much power as to cause loss of an elective seat simply because a Member of Parliament has publicly voiced an opinion contrary to the party leader’s, now that our parties are ruled by those who form them.