TNA’s
shot in the arm for youthful party aspirants
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Updated 6 hrs 36 mins
ago
By Alex Ndegwa
Deputy Prime Minister
Uhuru Kenyatta’s The National Alliance (TNA) will finance campaigns for the
party’s youthful candidates who do not have the financial muscle to compete
with well-heeled opponents.
In a radical move
designed to attract youthful leaders discouraged from electoral competition by
financial constraints, TNA has resolved to set up a Young Aspirants Fund.
TNA National Oversight Board resolved during
a meeting held on Wednesday at party headquarters to fund campaigns for
deserving candidates who clinch the party’s nomination.
The fund is meant to support youthful candidates who are aspiring
for various political seats through the party ticket as part of a leadership
development programme, according to TNA chairman Johnson Sakaja.
“TNA, which supports a generational change in the political scene,
will raise these funds through a fundraising whose date will be communicated
later,” Sakaja said. The ban on aspirants for various elective positions
presiding over harambees does not extend to a fundraising for candidate for an
election or a political party.
Grand launch
Since TNA’s grand and much publicised launch in May, the party has
sought to push the boundaries of political party organisation. The latest decision
comes against the backdrop of the legislative clamour to regulate campaign and
political financing.
In response to the draft Campaign Financing Bill, the Centre for
Multi-party Democracy Kenya (CMD-Kenya) welcomed the measure, saying the big
money politics only favoured the wealthy.
“The financial requirements for entry into electoral competition
appear to be getting higher and higher, resulting in political exclusion of
those who cannot afford the cost,” a CMD-Kenya report observed.
Unregulated campaign financing, it said, often created an uneven
playing field in election contest. “Large sums of money give certain parties
and/or candidates undue advantage over others,” CMD-Kenya argued. “Very often
the candidates with the most money always win the election or party nomination
process.” TNA is attempting to shore up the not-so-well-to-do aspirants to stem
the effect that such wide discrepancies in levels of funding between candidates
is limiting opportunities for political competition and disenfranchising
challengers.
“This comes due to the realisation by the party that there exist
many young Kenyans who are visionary, competent and passionate about leadership
but shy away from participating in elections due to lack of financial resources
and thus deny the country the benefit of their leadership,” Sakaja added.
Party agenda
TNA is yet to devise comprehensive guidelines
for the selection of beneficiaries to the party’s inaugural leadership
development programme.
Those who will be eligible for the support will be identified by
the party from amongst candidates aged between 18 and 35 years who will win at
the party’s nominations. However, the uneven playing field occasioned by
bribery is even more pronounced at party nominations stage.
They will, however, be required to demonstrate their need for such
support. The party announced it would name Trustees to the fund in due course.
Apart from financial support, TNA will train all its successful candidates in
campaign management, communication, fundraising and various other modules in
readiness for the General Election.
During rallies, Uhuru has stressed TNA will
uphold free and fair nominations and that he had no preferred candidates for
any of the positions.
The Gatundu South MP warned various political aspirants in central
Kenya against using his name to get votes in the elections or win party
nominations.
“Don’t use my name to gain popularity” is the message Uhuru has
for political aspirants falling over themselves to ride the crest of his brand
to power.
Uhuru said he was aware some of those seeking parliamentary,
senatorial and governorship posts were claiming he favoured them in the race.
“When the time for campaigns come, I will be asking for your vote
(for the presidency) as Uhuru Kenyatta. The rest will come to you in their
individual capacity. All the aspirants should participate in a free and fair
nomination,” was the message the DPM repeated at every stop he made during his
recent extensive tour of Tharaka Nithi, Meru and Embu counties.
“No one should come to you (voters) claiming that I’m supporting
them. All those interested in the seat should seek votes and participate in the
nominations,” he said at meetings where nearly all aspirants distributed
materials emblazoned with their pictures and that of Uhuru.
TNA officials would not be contesting elective posts in the
elections to check the undue influence they may wield over other aspirants.
The resolution to pool resources for distribution to candidates
requiring financial support is a step towards levelling the playing field. It
is often titled in favour of the ruling party or the incumbent candidates, who
control political apparatus for their own advantage and to the disadvantages of
challengers.
“Democracy requires strong party organisations that compete for
political power in fair elections and to keep the system functioning, political
parties and individual candidates must have the resources to run successful
campaigns,” CMD-Kenya contends.
Yet running successful electoral campaigns requires enormous
resources and the forthcoming General Election is billed more expensive than
that of 2007.
Logistics budget
The Coalition for Accountable Political Financing (CAPF) says the
top two political parties spent at least Sh6 billion in 2007. The logistics
budget was especially high for the opposition, with the party whose members
were in Government being cushioned from logistical and security expenses by
their access to State resources.
CAPF predicts the upcoming contest will see much more money spent
especially on the presidential race, with the main contenders laying down as
much as $100 million (more than Sh8 billion) each.
Expenses for candidates
include nomination fees paid to the Independent Electoral and Boundary
Commission for clearance to run, logistical costs and advertisements. Governor
aspirants will be required to pay Sh100,000, and those for senate and MP
Sh75,000. County Assembly aspirants on the other hand will have to deposit
Sh10,000.
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