Busia woman rep wants party nomination done after election

Political parties might to have conduct nominations after the General Election if an amendment bill is adopted by Parliament.

The Elections Amendment Bill 2018 seeks to compel political parties to submit a list of nominated individuals to IEBC after the General Election.

The bill tabled by Busia Woman rep Florence Mutua is at its second reading.

While moving the amendment motion, Mutua said the current provisions state that the list of nominated Members be submitted to IEBC 45 days before an election is done.

"Mr Speaker this amendment seeks to change the timelines for political parties to submit the list of nominated members from 45 days before the election to 21 days after the election," she said.

Mutua said the current bill as it is has locked very many potential members who would have advanced the agenda of various political parties.

If the amendment bill is adopted, the legislator said it would ensure that parties have the right people in place.

She said many parties have suffered because after submitting the list to IEBC, those nominated cease to support respective parties during the campaign period.

"Mr speaker, campaigns are always emotive and as a result, wrong people have been picked. With this amendment, parties will have time to nominate loyal individuals who stood with the party to the end," she said.

She argued that currently, the minority, marginalised and people living with disabilities have mostly been affected with nominations but her bill seeks to rectify that.

"The advantage of having nominations after the elections is that political parties will have time in terms of regional balance, bringing the minority and the marginalised on board while critically looking at the issue of gender balance," she said.

She said that since elections are always competitive, strong candidates have often lost and missed on a chance to be nominated.

The amendment will thus allow political parties to top up their house representation by considering the strong candidates who lost in the election.

While seconding the motion, Likoni MP Mishi Mboko said political parties will be advantaged because they will have time to consider loyalty.

 "Political parties have many challenges during electioneering period and everybody must be involved. This amendment will allow parties that time to nominate individuals who strongly supported them during that time," Mboko said.

Currently, there are 12 nominated MPS in the National Assembly, 16 nominated women Senators, and four nominated senators two representing youth and two representing people with disabilities.

Mboko said the amendment will close gaps where resourceful individuals are left out.