Planned law seeks to end party hopping

Constant defections by aspirants who lose party nominations may be absent this year if rules by a joint parliamentary committee are adopted.

Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said the committee overseeing electoral reforms was drafting legislation that seeks to block politicians from hoping from one party to another after losing nominations, locking them out of the election.

However, the proposal has already attracted opposition from some political quarters, including Kanu, which has asked MPs not to approve it.

Speaking in Kericho, Mr Murkomen said some crafty politicians were forming links with small “village parties” to give them a lifeline once they fail to clinch tickets in parties like Jubilee and Cord.

“Some parties are planning to scavenge from fallouts from the nominations by the main parties and we are telling them that we have proposed legislation to ensure this door is closed to party hoppers,” said Mr Murkomen.

The senator added that all political parties will be required to submit lists of all their aspirants before nominations are held to ensure the candidates do not jump ship after defeat.

Bomet Senator Wilfred Lesan has backed the planned law, saying it will bring sanity to the country’s politics and ensure politicians stand by the policies and ideologies of a single party.

Prof Lesan said all party nominations should be held on the same day and be supervised by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to prevent defections.