Tribunal nullifies Jubilee, ODM and Kanu nomination lists
Political Parties Disputes Tribunal members Desma Nungo (left), Milly O. Lwanga and Paul Ngotho (right) preside over disputes arising from parties nomination lists in Nairobi on July 28, 2017. PHOTO | ANDREW ANINI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal has directed Kanu, Jubilee and ODM to reconstitute their party lists and include the names of marginalised people.
The case against the country’s oldest party was filed by Ernest Makenya Madome.
Jubilee Party was also directed to remove the name of lawyer Jeniffer Shamala from its list of nominees to the National Assembly
Major political parties have suffered a setback after their nomination lists were nullified for lack of ethnic balance and minority group representation.
The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal has directed Kanu, Jubilee and ODM to reconstitute their party lists and include the names of marginalised people.
On Kanu, the tribunal said its list to the National Assembly did not allocate the first slots to a youth, a disabled person and a worker and was, therefore, unlawful.
The case against the country’s oldest party was filed by Ernest Makenya Madome.
JENIFFER SHAMALA
Jubilee Party was also directed to remove the name of lawyer Jeniffer Shamala from its list of nominees to the National Assembly after the tribunal finding that she was included without the party stating the special interest group she represents.
Mr Aden Noor Ali had, in opposing the inclusion of Ms Shamala, said, “these nominative slots offer an opportunity for persons with disability, youth, ethnic minority, and marginalised groups to have their voices heard in the National Assembly and Senate”.
The tribunal separately found that Jubilee’s gender list as well as that of marginalised people for nomination to the Laikipia County assembly did not reflect the ethnic diversity of the people of the region.
MINORITY
“Jubilee is further directed to include Jane Chemutai Koskei (complainant) in the first slot on the gender top-up list in light of her minority status within the county,” the tribunal ruled.
Ms Chemutai identified herself as a member of the Kalenjin community, a minority within Laikipia County.
Jubilee is also to reconstitute its list for nominations to the Murang’a County Assembly.
ODM was directed to include Mr Cosmas Murunga in the list of marginalised people for nomination to the Bungoma County Assembly.
Mr Chemwotei is a member of the Ogiek community, a minority within the county.
The tribunal further declared that ODM’s list of marginalised people for nomination to the Migori County Assembly did not reflect the ethnic diversity of the region.
The party was directed to also include Mr Kemege Tyson Gabriel, who is disabled and from the minority Kuria community.
