End winner-takes-all elections, parties say

Three political parties want the winner-takes-all form of governance discarded.

Maendeleo Chap Chap, NARC Kenya and Kanu said the practice is responsible for politically charged and violent election circles witnessed in Kenya since re-introduction of multiparty politics.

Party leaders spoke when they appeared before the Building Bridges task force in Nairobi yesterday.

Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua called for adoption of proportional representation as a cure.

If adopted, the current system of voting for six candidates from different political parties will be abolished. Instead voters will cast their ballot for a party list.

“PR shall ensure that lists prepared by parties for all positions have the face of Kenya. Those in office shall pledge allegiance to the nation not to a specific region because they are a product of a national not a regional vote,” she said.

“PR will also cure the current burden of six elections in a single day since a voter shall cast a vote once,” she said.

This will bring issue-based political competition which will strengthen the structure and content political parties.

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua of MCC said there is a need for constitutional safeguards to give losers of a presidential election with substantial following a safe landing.

“There is a need to establish a strong, well funded leader of Opposition office with the same stature and protocol as the former Prime Minister office's. In the alternative, have an expanded national executive with president his deputy and prime minister with two deputies.  If a government fails to garner over 65 per cent of votes then it should reach out to the Opposition for the PM position,” Mutua said.

Mutua wants political parties and professional bodies to select IEBC commissioners to ensure internal checks and balances within the electoral body.

To reduce cost of running government, he proposed scrapping of the Woman Representative position and instead have a constituency in each county reserved for a woman member of Parliament in rotation.

Kanu said the winner-takes-all system is an incentive for election fraud and rigging that trigger violence.

Secretary general Nick Salat called for a total ban on all public officers from doing business with government.

"In this way, the country will to a good extent reduce the conflict of interest that fuels corruption in the public sector through the various procurement processes," Salat said.

Those accused of the graft, he said, must step aside until their cases are disposed off.