Ruto asks MPs to reject Political Parties Bill

Deputy President William Ruto addressing supporters at Bura, Tana River County, December 21, 2021. [DPPS, Standard]

Another showdown looms at the National Assembly today after Deputy President William Ruto asked MPs allied to him to reject the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021 if amendments proposed last week are not effected.

Ruto said sections of the Bill, if not removed, will transfer the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to the Registrar of Political Parties. 

Debate on the Bill was postponed last week after MPs proposed amendments in a dramatic session.

Speaking at his home constituency of Turbo after unveiling buses for three schools and a newly constructed National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) office yesterday, Ruto said his side of the political divide has at least 160 MPs, enough to defeat the Bill. 

He said the Bill will create an imperial Registrar of Political Parties, which will control how political outfits conduct nominations.

“Political parties are independent and free to conduct their nomination exercises. Let us stop creating an imperial Registrar of Political Parties on Kenyans,” Ruto said.

He said the Bill was brought to Parliament by what he described as "a notorious political party that has been luring small parties into coalitions in the past before defrauding them". 

Ruto said the party has been cornered and is seeking to use the law to hoodwink small parties into forming a coalition with it ahead of next year's General Election.

“Those who are used to defrauding other parties have been cornered because other political parties have refused to be conned. They are now resorting to seeking the help of Parliament to assure those they have conned in the past that they will be safe," said the DP.

Ruto, who has been meeting leaders and locals at his Sugoi home since Christmas Eve, said the Bill will face the same fate as the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

He described the Bill as divisive and asked MPs to make it inclusive or reject it.

“In this law, there is political conmanship. If you want us to help you stop this, then you must remove the political fraud in the Bill,” Ruto said.

“First, remove the clause that transfers some powers of the IEBC to the Registrar of Political Parties so that we believe you.”

He was accompanied by Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, Turbo MP Janet Sitienei, her Mosop counterpart Vincent Tuwei and a host of aspirants for various elective seats.

Sitienei said, "We are back to Parliament and we will oppose the Bill because we want a law that will bring all Kenyans together. My constituents have told me not to support the Bill."

Tuwei said United Democratic Alliance (UDA)-allied MPs were seeking the support of other legislators to oppose the Bill if proposed amendments are not included ahead of today's showdown.