Amend law on political parties funding, CMD urges

The chairman of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) Omingo Magara (right) and Kalembe Ndile a member of the CMD, during a press conference at the organisation's offices in Nairobi August 21, 2013. CMD wants the law amended to provide for the funding of all political parties by the State. STEPHEN MUDIARI

A pro-democracy lobby wants the law amended to provide for the funding of all political parties by the State.

The Centre for Multi-Party Democracy (CMD) said Wednesday the law, which allows the State to fund only the most popular parties is unconstitutional and discriminatory.

CMD complained that only three parties – ODM, TNA and URP would receive funding from the State this financial year if the Political Parties Act is not amended.

“Even with the Sh205 million allocated this year only three parties, namely TNA, ODM and URP are due to receive any funding because of the way the law currently stands,” said CMD chairman Omingo Magara.

“The Political Parties Act says (section 25(1) and (2)) that 95 per cent of funds shall be distributed proportionately but only to parties that have secured at least 5 per cent of the total number of votes in the preceding general election,” he said.

Data obtained from the Registrar of Political Parties, Mr Magara stated, indicate that only the three parties qualified for State funding.

MISS OUT

As a result, several other parties with Governors, Senators and MPs like United Democratic Forum, Wiper, Kanu, Ford Kenya and New Ford Kenya would miss out on the funds, the CMD said.

“The situation where almost all parliamentary parties and others will not be funded does not bode well for democracy in the country and is not in consonance with key constitutional provisions,” Mr Magara said.

CMD proposed that the Political Parties Act be amended to provide that 25 per cent of State funds be shared out equally among all parties, another 25 per cent be distributed equally among all parliamentary parties and 45 per cent be shared out according to votes garnered by the parties in the preceding General Election.

Mr Magara revealed that CMD had already written to the Attorney General and the parliamentary Justice and Legal Affairs making the proposal.

National Assembly minority party leader Francis Nyenze has previously faulted the allocation of State funds to political parties based on their showing in the last General Election, saying this would kill democracy.

Speaking last month, Mr Nyenze proposed that the State funds be shared among the more than 50 registered parties.

“There is a danger of killing democracy if we distribute the monies on the strength of party performance because this will deny funding other parties that failed to impress in the March 4 polls,” he said.