Review mess in political party primaries, urges Kiraitu
Meru Senator and governor aspirant Kiraitu Murungi (left) and his running mate Titus Ntuchiu. Mr Murungi now says the country should review nomination processes as one way of making general elections free, fair, open and accountable. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- He says Article 88 of the Constitution which requires IEBC to conduct political party primaries should be implemented.
- Mr Murungi was quick to commend his Jubilee Party and ODM primaries given the “huge logistical and financial challenges".
- He said they had done their best “in very difficult’’ circumstances to pick their candidates for the August election.
After the just concluded chaotic and shambolic party primaries, some Kenyans, such as Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi, are now of the view that it is time for the country to review the nomination processes as one way of making general elections free, fair, open and accountable.
"The mess we have witnessed is not accidental," says Senator Murungi.
“It just shows the urgent need for us to rethink the entire political party processes," the Meru Jubilee Party governorship candidate observes.
He argues that the election is a process and political party nominations should be seen as part of that electoral process in which the "genuine" will of the people is expressed.
The senator, with his Siaya counterpart James Orengo, co-chaired a joint parliamentary committee that, among others, was to recommend reforms to both Houses to improve the electoral commission so as to ensure the August polls are administered in a transparent manner.
IEBC CONDUCT PRIMARIES
He says one of the key debates they had during their sittings at Windsor Golf and Resort in Nairobi was whether the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) should spend public money to conduct party primaries.
“We reached a consensus that if a political party requests IEBC to conduct nominations, then it should do it using public funds at the request of any political party,’’ Senator Murungi said.
“We did it because we had agreed among us that political parties did not have either financial resources or technical and human capacity to conduct these nominations, a position that was supported by President Kenyatta and Mr Raila Odinga.’’
The country, he says, should move to implement Article 88 of the Constitution which requires the electoral commission to not only make rules but also to conduct political party primaries.
“I can only hope that the next Parliament will address those concerns so that we do not have these chaotic nominations that are a threat to democratic consolidation in the country,’’ Senator Murungi says, adding that drafters of the Constitution had it in mind that party nominations also should be free and fair.
However, Mr Murungi was quick to commend his Jubilee Party and ODM, arguing that given the "huge logistical and financial challenges" they had done their best “in very difficult" circumstances to pick their candidates for the August elections.
ANOMALIES
“We believe where anomalies were found they were and would be addressed so that justice and democracy can be seen,’’ Senator Murungi says.
Article 88 (4) of the Constitution states in part: “The Commission is responsible for conducting or supervising referenda and elections to any elective body or office established by this Constitution, and any other elections as prescribed by an Act of Parliament and, in particular, for
(a) the continuous registration of citizens as voters,
(b) the regular revision of the voters’ roll,
(c) the delimitation of constituencies and wards,
(d) the regulation of the process by which parties nominate candidates for elections."
