Experts question political parties' value system

Jubilee Party supporters turn up for a rally at Uhuru Park on September 9, 2017. Political parties have been criticised for not having proper policies. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Prof Kindiki says that the foundation of most parties is too weak to last after elections.
  • But ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna says the party has remained relevant because it was founded on strong ideologies.

Political parties have remained opaque on how they use billions of taxpayers’ money allocated to them by the exchequer or earnings from members and donations, with many of them become dormant after the polls.

This is because for long, Kenyans have viewed political parties largely as election and electioneering vehicles rather than institutions with long-term plans.

A survey by the Nation indicated that most of the parties had skeleton staff at their secretariats after the 2017 general elections, with remaining officials keeping off office due to little activity.

Most of the parties rarely hold meetings after elections and only become active during by-election or general elections. Some parties have since closed their offices.

TRANSPARENCY

Although the parties usually file financial returns to the Registrar of Political Parties, political analyst cum lawyer JM Waiganjo says the outfits lack transparency.

“The legal framework of the Political Parties Fund is ambiguous and that is why parties like Wiper, ANC and Ford-Kenya are claiming money given to their Nasa partners, ODM,” Mr Waiganjo said.

ODM was recently awarded Sh4.1 billion by the Court of Appeal but maintained that it does not owe Wiper, ANC and Ford Kenya a cent.

The three parties feel they were entitled to a slice for backing ODM leader Raila Odinga for the top seat in the last polls.

Mr Waiganjo further said the Auditor-General should look into misappropriation of funds by political parties.

FUNDING

More often than not, the parties blame lack of funds as the main cause for the lull, with most of them — save for their party leaders and elected members — going moribund until another cycle of campaigns is heralded.

The Registrar of Political Parties, Ms Ann Nderitu, said that in the 2018/2019 financial year her office disbursed a total of Sh352, 630,500 to the two parties, ODM and Jubilee, that met the criteria set out under section 25 of the Political Parties Act, 2011.

International Education and Policy professor Nyaga Kindiki said the tendency of political parties to go that route is informed by most of them not being founded on policies, values or beliefs, but on tribal amalgamations to serve specific interests, which mostly is to ascend to power.

He says that the foundation of most parties is too weak to last after elections, as their relevance is only before elections and not long after.

VALUE SYSTEM

However, some parties dispute this. ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna says the party has remained relevant because it was founded on strong ideologies.

“Most are formed for purposes of elections, but if one is founded on certain ideologies to change the society then they stay the time,” Mr Sifuna said.

His Jubilee counterpart Raphael Tuju said the party is on the move, expanding offices and preparing for by-elections.

Mr Barrack Muluka, the ANC secretary-general, funding challenges have slowed the party.