The Registrar of Political Parties, Anne Nderitu, has expressed serious concerns about a proposal to replace her office with a new commission.
She believes that the government’s plan to establish the Independent Political Parties Regulatory Commission (IPPRC) will interfere with how political parties are managed in Kenya.
This plan is included in the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill 2024, which is currently being debated in Parliament. The proposal comes from the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), which was formed after the 2022 elections to discuss electoral reforms following protests.
NADCO brought together representatives from both President William Ruto’s and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s political teams.On January 30, 2025, Nderitu strongly criticized the Bill, calling it flawed.
She argued that the creation of the IPPRC would take away critical regulatory powers from the Registrar’s office without providing a proper structure for how the new commission will function.
She pointed out that the Bill proposes a regulatory commission but does not give it actual regulatory functions, which she believes will create disorder in the political system.
Without clear guidelines, political parties could be left in confusion, leading to instability in party management.
One of Nderitu’s main concerns is that the Bill does not include transitional clauses. This means there is no clarity on what will happen to the existing records of political parties or the staff currently working in the Registrar’s office.
If the Bill is passed, these employees could lose their jobs, and the management of important documents and assets could be thrown into uncertainty.
She emphasized that such an oversight could lead to legal disputes and administrative chaos.
Another issue is that the proposed commission will not have the same legal protections that the Registrar’s office currently enjoys.
The commission is supposed to oversee party nominations, but the Bill does not make any constitutional changes to align this function with the responsibilities of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
This raises concerns about potential conflicts between the two institutions and how nominations will be handled in future elections.
The structure of the commission is also a point of concern. The Bill proposes that the commission will have five members, with four being nominated by majority and minority parties.
The fifth commissioner will be appointed by the Parliamentary Service Commission, but there is no clear definition of what a “non-parliamentary party” is.
This lack of clarity could lead to disputes over representation and decision-making within the commission. Without well-defined rules, the independence and effectiveness of the commission could be compromised.
Nderitu’s criticism highlights the potential risks of the proposed changes. While the government may argue that the new commission will improve political party regulation, the lack of a clear framework raises serious questions.
If the Bill is passed without necessary adjustments, it could create more problems than solutions. Political parties could face administrative challenges, employees could lose their jobs, and the entire system of party regulation could become unstable. It remains to be seen whether Parliament will address these concerns before making a final decision on the Bill.
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