LEGISLATORS could soon be free to campaign for parties that did not sponsor them, without losing their seats.
This is after MPs made proposals to delete the section of the Political Parties Act that says they can lose their seats if they openly support policies of rival parties.
Justice and Legal Affairs Committee chairman Samuel Chepkonga yesterday recommended the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties strike the provision because it is difficult to enforce.
“...How do you say that someone who drums up support for a candidate from another party loses his seat? “ he said.
“That will kill friendship.”
The matter was raised by Ugenya MP David Ochieng who asked how the Registrar of Political Parties could discipline anyone campaigning for other parties’ candidates.
He said implementing the law is problematic since it is difficult to establish whether an MP campaigning for other candidates has resigned from the party that sponsored him or her to Parliament.
Politicians have been using the loophole to participate in the activities of other parties since it is difficult for parties to discipline them without proof of defection.
Parties have resorted to disciplining members by removing them from committees and other leadership positions but no MP has lost his or her seat.
