The fallacy that is our political parties' internal democracy

So, of what use were the party primaries we held? This is a serious issue because thereafter many of the losers rushed to seek registration as independent candidates. Those who won in the mainstream parties have to contend with the fact that the big names they beat are still in the race. Both sets of candidates sunk millions into the campaigns for party nominations but apparently in many areas this was a futile task. 

Before we come to why the three-month period during which one shouldn’t have been a member of a political party before being registered as independent candidate is a phenomenon strangling itself, let us reflect on what this portends for presidential candidates Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga. Uhuru and his running mate William Ruto initially kept away from myriad Jubilee losers who jumped for independent tickets, including Peter Kenneth, Kinuthia Mbugua and Bundotich Kiprop (Buzeki) among others, but later changed their minds.

Reason? Because we are in a tight race as Ipsos opinion poll showed this week and every vote counts, including those that the independent candidates wield. Problem with this however is that the candidates who won Jubilee tickets are not keen to fight for the party that has embraced the people they beat and so subjected them to second-round tussle.

Power of independents

National Super Alliance flag bearer Raila Odinga on the other hand fought the idea of embracing the independents, arguing this would stifle the chances of the party winning. He also sees this as an undemocratic act that makes nonsense of the principle of parties being the bandwagons of ideology and ideas that bring people together.

We must however recognise that political parties in Kenya are just vehicles for influential and rich politicians to race down the highway of power and big money. That is why the manifestos they dangle before our faces are not even worth the paper they are printed on. The weak structures the parties have and the deficit of internal democracy in them boil over when the parties hold nominations, one of the most atrocious lie of political contest in Kenya. They are usually as shambolic as they are dramatic. 

The effect of this is that in various strongholds, the main candidates may be independents who will be elected and are not under the control of the winning presidential candidate or the Leader of Opposition. That presents a problem for party bigwigs after elections as they push their political agenda.

Yes, the independents may be a pool from which party chiefs can bribe personnel to boost their numbers in parliament and county assemblies, but this is not predictable. Just imagine a situation in Parliament where Jubilee and NASA get 100 MPs each in the 290-member National Assembly and Independents grab the balance of 90 seats besides those the parties will nominate.

This is the reason why it is likely that party leaders will whip MPs in the next parliament to ensure that the window for independent candidates is closed before the primaries. If you talk to Uhuru and Raila privately, don’t be surprised that on this they agree totally. In any case all the independents support the presidential candidates of the parties they claim to have abandoned.

Elsewhere in the world independents are unattached persons who have no link whatsoever with any political party because of the principles and policies they hold. It could for example be their position on abortion, same-sex marriage or even race and religion.

In Kenya, however, we have twisted it to be an opportunity to get a ticket so as to be on the ballot paper on August 8 by all means. That is why Peter Kenneth, for example, can afford to say on TV news that he is independent but supports Uhuru’s re-election. But there is only one truly independent candidate for he declared long ago he does not belong to any party and didn’t take part in any primaries. That man is Miguna Miguna, the Nairobi governor’s seat candidate. Most of the rest are opportunists and schemers even though there are also those who were truly rigged out in their parties.

 Mr Tanui is the Deputy Editorial Director and Managing Editor, The Standard. [email protected]