Reprieve for small parties over funding
Acting Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung’u. The Registrar of Political Parties will soon be appointed and the office separated from the electoral commission, Ms Ndun’gu, has said. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI |
What you need to know:
- Small parties filed an appeal challenging their exclusion by the registrar of political parties.
- The judges said they will rule on the matter on October 17 and directed Ms Ndungu not to disburse the cash until then.
The Appeal Court has stopped the disbursement of funds to three big political parties until a case filed by smaller organisations is heard.
This is after small parties filed an appeal challenging their exclusion by the registrar of political parties.
Appellate judges Philip Waki, GBM Kariuki and William Ouko directed the Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung’u to stop the impending disbursement until a ruling on the appeal case is made.
Whilst the smaller parties in coalitions want to be allocated the cash, lawyers Samuel Makori and Johnson Omboga for ODM and TNA opposed the idea arguing that coalitions are not entities eligible for funding.
They can only receive the cash once the law is amended, they argued.
According to the Political Parties Forum Coalition Chair David Wakahu, the Political Parties Act’s formula for disbursement of the funds is discriminatory and violates rights of smaller parties and coalitions.
The judges said they will rule on the matter on October 17 and directed Ms Ndungu not to disburse the cash until then.
On Monday, Lady Justice Mumbi Ngugi dismissed the small political parties suit saying the cash distribution is fair but they filed an appeal.
