William Ruto suffered humiliating defeats in the National Assembly in his attempt to stop Political Parties Bill from sailing through the House. Now he plans to try his luck in Senate.
Raila Odinga and his handshake partner President Uhuru Kenyatta won big in the Political Parties Amendment Bill of 2021 as MPs on January 6th managed to defeat all the amendments fronted by their opponents from Deputy President William Ruto’s camp.
Ruto suffered three defeats in the National Assembly as all the amendments proposed by his camp were shot down by Raila and Uhuru’s allied lawmakers.
The only one amendment by Tigania West MP John Mutunga who is loyal to Ruto which had passed was defeated in the last minute after it was recommitted.
Mutunga proposed an amendment to clause 3 of the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for political parties to have dominant colour.
When the amendment was put to vote, the Handshake team trounced the DP’s camp after getting 153 votes for the ayes against Tangatanga’s 53 votes for the nays, paving way for it to be forwarded to the Senate.
Allies of the DP and those affiliated to Musalia Mudavadi had also lost a bid to have political parties in a coalition allowed to field their candidates for seats other than that of the president.
The amendment was put to a vote where 111 supported the amendment while 132 (54%) rejected the changes.
The DP also lost a bid to expunge from Political Parties Bill, 2021, a clause on the timelines of formation of coalitions before a general election.
The amendments by Garissa Township MP Aden Duale were shot down after 128 MPs voted against while 104 lawmakers voted in support.
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 from six to four months before elections.
Ruto’s camp has tried all tricks – acrimony and filibustering (delay tactics) – to scuttle Political Parties bill in the national assembly.
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi earlier directed the use of electronic voting as the House began discussions on the Political Parties Bill, 2021 to defeat filibustering tactics of pro-Ruto MPs who had been making deliberate attempts to frustrate the Bill.
Defeat in National Assembly aside, Ruto is planning to scuttle the Bill from sailing in the Senate.
According to Saturday Nation, the deputy president is marshalling his troops in the Senate in a strategy that may lead to defeat or delay Political Parties Bill until some provisions are overtaken by event.
Senate speaker Ken Lusaka recalls senators for debate starting next week and Ruto’s camp has vowed to fight to stop the Political Parties Bill in the upper house of Parliament.
Even though the DP is boasting of numbers, time has proved that his claim is just an illusion as he continues to lose to Raila and Uhuru each time.
Ruto failed to save former Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu and former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko when their impeachment motions were tabled in Senate.
Ruto’s bid to also have Senate impeach Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru in June 2020 (she was not supporting the DP then) was thwarted by senators allied to Raila and Uhuru.
It’s expected that Ruto will rush to court to try stop Political Parties Bill if it sails in the Senate as the handshake team has the numbers to push it through.
Allies of the DP vowed to seek legal redress if they fall short in their attempts to stop the proposed law in both Houses.
Tharaka MP George Murungara cited lack of public participation before the Bill was published as one of the possible legal issues they will pursue in court.
“I wonder why they are chest-thumping; this Bill would never survive if it’s taken to court. It has issues with public participation, clauses that clog and fester democracy in the country, so my view is fine, let him use the numbers in Parliament and we will go to court,” Tharaka MP George Murugara told Capital FM.
Kiambu Women Rep Wamuchomba said UDA will certainly move to court to challenge the constitutionality of the Bill.
“The sponsors of the Bill know very well that no public participation was done. They rushed it to achieve their own interests,” Wamuchomba said.
Makueni MP Dan Maanzo, who is allied to Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, also expressed fears that the matter might end up in court as stated by UDA members.
“The issue of lack of public participation has been raised and is likely to end up in court,” said Maanzo.
