Parties dash to avoid chaotic nominations ahead of April deadline

ODM Party delegates cheering at the National Delegates Conference at Kasarani on Saturday, February 28, 2022. [Samson Wire, Standard].

Political parties are laying out key strategies ahead of next month’s nominations amid the continued shift in alliances across the country.

Some parties have set deadlines for defections before outlining their candidates for various elective posts in the party nominations to be held on diverse dates next month.

Although membership registration, both digital and manual is ongoing within some parties, they will rely on the final register of members from the Office of Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) for the party nominations process.

“We have set up a team to coordinate all aspects of primaries. The process will give our members confidence in the entire process. We shall ensure credible and verifiable elections,” said Mr Albert Kochei, Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) director of elections.

Mr Kochei said the former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto led CCM is an affiliate to UDA and will field candidates across the country for all elective posts except the presidency.

“According to our party rules, we have contenders, delegates, opinion poll and direct primaries, and we shall engage members and aspirants in all processes. There will be training before the primaries and aspirants shall bring their agents on board,” he said. Mr Kochei said CCM will use the register containing party members from the Registrar of Political Parties as required by the law. 

Ford Kenya’s director of elections Ms Khadija Mustafa said membership recruitment is ongoing and that the party will next week dialogue with all aspirants. “It is an election, and we want our party aspirants to know that it is a healthy competition and we are assuring them all that the process will be free and fair to the satisfaction of all. Ford Kenya has in the past had smooth and transparent party primaries,” said Ms Mustafa.

She said upon close of the new membership recruitment, the party will apply for the final party membership register from ORPP.

Ms Mustafa said upon determining the number of aspirants and posts being vied for, the party will deliberate on the process of printing materials, mode of elections. Members will also know the dates and where they will vote.

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Elections Board (NEB) chair Mr Anthony Mwaura said preparations for party primaries are on, stating that the membership register will be ready by end of this month.

“We shall be writing to IEBC this week to gazette polling centres, dates and on security. Manual and digital membership recruitment has been ongoing and shall close on March 26, when we shall prepare a membership list to be forwarded to ORPP, which we shall finally use,” he said.

“UDA has the highest number of aspirants, and we shall be fielding candidates for all elective seats across the country. We shall ensure a free, fair and verifiable process. By yesterday, we had 6,000 aspirants registered, Nakuru leading with 600, Kiambu 400 while Uasin Gishu was third.”

He said UDA will use 25,000 IEBC polling centres across the country, assuring that ballot papers would have watermarks, serialised and no photocopies will be used.

“The party primaries will be between April 9 and 16. Once dates have been fixed for specific areas, there will be no changes in the process that shall commence at 6am and close at 5pm. Centres will be organised such that we will have one entrance and an exit and we would have observers,” said Mr Mwaura.

Green Thinking Action Party (GTAP) executive director Mr Joe Kithyaka said registration of members and selection of aspirants is ongoing and they are ready for the party primaries.

"Hundreds of aspirants seeking various seats in the August 9 polls, have applied to vie on our GTAP platform that promises to empower Kenyan households," said Mr Kithyaka.

Lugari MP Mr Ayub Savula who deputises Dr Noah Wekesa as chair of negotiating committee of the Democratic Action Party (DAP-K) said preparations are on course. “We shall use party members register from ORPP as a requirement. Those who are still joining us have until next Wednesday from when we shall have a list of DAP-K aspirants,” he said.

Mr Busaidy Salim, the ANC elections board chair said they have their proper membership register, which will be verified by aspirants.

He said the party has until March 28 to get the final list of aspirants. “Our party elections board is open, and we are urging our candidates to be careful of political brokers,” he said.