MPs allied to Ruto’s UDA lose bid to stop formation of Coalition Party

MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto have lost a bid to expunge from Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021 a clause on the timelines of formation of coalitions before a general election.

MPs on Wednesday voted against amendments by Garissa Township MP Aden Duale to scrap a provision meant to anchor the Azimio La Umoja movement spearheaded by ODM leader Raila Odinga.

A record 128 MPs moved to defeat Duale amendments while only 104 lawmakers voted in support.

The former Majority Leader Aden Duale had moved to delete Clause 8(b) of the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that seeks to provide formation of the coalition political party.

This now means political parties willing to form coalition parties will have to do so by April 9 this year after MPs approved the Bill presented before Parliament.

The MPs approved an amendment by Amos Kimunya to reduce the period of submission of coalition agreements between parties to the Registrar of Political parties to four months before elections.

Initially, the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021 had compelled parties to form a coalition six months to an election.

The provision was among the contentious issues in the Kimunya sponsored Bill with stakeholders citing the six-month timeline as that which is meant to blackmail parties to join Azimio.

The special sitting kicked off with a standoff after Tangatanga-allied MPs wanted events of the last sitting of debate on the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which was marred by chaos, revisited.

Duale rose on a point of order on where the debate on the bill should begin insisting that a clause was not completely amended.

He argued that the Order Paper has not included amendments to Clause 7 of the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021 yet it was not dealt with conclusively.

Duale was supported by his Tharaka counterpart Gitonga Murugara who alleged a violation of the House procedures in the adjournment that followed the vote on the clause.

The amendments were moved by MP Wahome who sought to remove the provisions regarding the regulation of party slogans and names.

Speaker Justin Muturi ruled that an amendment cannot be introduced after a vote has been taken unless done within the voting time.

“There was still time. The chair went on to put the global question 25 minutes to midnight. The speaker of the session was right,” Muturi said.

The Garissa Township described the proposal as mischievous and that which is meant to further the political interests of external forces.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi earlier directed the use of electronic voting as the House began discussions on the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

The amendments were moved by MP Wahome who sought to remove the provisions regarding the regulation of party slogans and names.

Speaker Justin Muturi ruled that an amendment cannot be introduced after a vote has been taken unless done within the voting time.

“There was still time. The chair went on to put the global question 25 minutes to midnight. The speaker of the session was right,” Muturi said.

The Garissa Township described the proposal as mischievous and that which is meant to further the political interests of external forces.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi earlier directed the use of electronic voting as the House began discussions on the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021.