Amend law to check party hopping, urges Speaker Muturi

 SHARE

 BOOKMARKPRINTRATING

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi (right) and Omingo Magara (left) during a news conference at CMD's offices during a handing over ceremony July 30, 2013. PHOEBE OKALL 

By JEREMIAH KIPLANG’AT jkiplangat@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Tuesday, July 30   2013 at  13:04

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi wants an amendment to the Elections Act to guard against arbitrary party hopping by politicians.

Mr Muturi said the law was still not tight enough to stop members of a political party from moving to another without following laid down procedures.

"The best time to push for an amendment that will make the law tighter and stronger is now when there are no elections around the corner,” he said.

Speaking when he handed over the chairmanship of the Centre for Multi-Party Democracy at the group’s offices in Nairobi Tuesday, Mr Muturi said both the Elections and the Political Parties Acts should be looked at keenly to rid them of loopholes that have been exploited by politicians in the past.

"It is important to clean up the existing laws now as it will be difficult to make such changes when elections are nearing,” the Speaker said.

Mr Muturi challenged the new CMD officials to push for the changes to avert further weakening of political parties.

In the run-up to the last General Election, members of the last Parliament made changes to the Elections Act to allow colleagues move from one party to another.

The changes allowed members three more months to party-hop until January 3. However, further changes were made by the legislators via the Miscellaneous Bill to give them more time until January 18.

Serious challenge

Mr Muturi asked the government to fast-track the release of funds meant for political parties saying it was important for their survival.

"Political funding now has a constitutional anchor. It is not something that can be wished away,” he said.

Mr Muturi, who was CMD chairman before he was elected speaker of the 11th Parliament, was replaced by politician Omingo Magara, the People’s Democratic Party leader. 

Mr Magara said party hopping was still a serious challenge to parties but promised to work closely with the Justice and Legal committee to find ways to stamp it out.

Other newly-elected officials are Rose Waruhiu (vice-chairperson, DP), Caroline Achieng (secretary, Ford-Kenya) and John Wamagaka (treasurer, Safina).