The biggest threat to the country's stability and democracy is the proliferation of small and fringe political parties that are not grounded in any ideology or philosophy.
Kenyans have witnessed a very dangerous precedent being set where political parties have become personal entities that drive the interests of their founders and leaders.
Political parties no longer contribute to the country's democratic space and quality leadership. We have more than 80 fully registered political parties and many others with provisional certificates.
These parties, registered with a weak legal administration and enforcement regime, threaten the very foundation of the country's democracy.
This is why I strongly support the idea of folding up small political parties in favour of a few strong, broad-based political parties that are ideologically driven.
The proliferation of small political parties has in the last decades only served to create and perpetuate political disorder and confusion in the country's democratic space.
It is also sad that most of these small outfits have not met the required legal threshold to continue running as political parties. Most of them do not have physical addresses, contacts that are operational as required in law.
The law requires that a political party must have physical and running offices in at least 24 counties, with at least 1,000 registered members in those counties.
The fact is that people form political parties as avenues for making money during elections. They open a few offices in some areas and then are certified by the Registrar of Political Parties.
After the elections, the owners of these political parties close their offices and disappear into thin air. They only reemerge in the run-up to a general election because their leaders are sure of making money from aspirants during nominations and are up for sale to the highest bidders.
Such political parties that are blatantly flouting the law do not deserve to participate in the country's political space because they are merely avenues by their owners to milk aspirants dry during nominations but just remain on paper as parties.
The ORPP has the legal mandate to superintend over political parties in the country yet we are seeing parties becoming personalised and morphing into personal properties.
It is unfortunate that there is no thorough audit being done from time to time to ascertain the standing of political parties yet some are funded by taxpayers from the exchequer.
There is no way a political party can be allowed to operate and even benefit from exchequer funding yet it does not comply with the law. This is illegal and must be dealt with within the law.
Strong political parties are a clear demonstration of an expanding democratic space. The idea of merging political parties is a noble one because it will kill tribal outfits formed by individuals keen on making money and gaining relevance rather than growing democracy.
A few strong national political parties will entrench good governance and deal with chronic tribalism that is ailing Kenya today.
I propose that a task force should be formed to look into parties' compliance with the law.
I also propose amendments should be made to strengthen the Political Parties Act to create an Act that can regulate the mushrooming of political parties that have been turned into business enterprises with no ideology.
How can political parties that have never done in-house elections, only selections, be allowed to participate in the national general election?
I will be looking at the contribution to the strengthening of democracy by political parties and notable party leaders.
Former secretary of the Political Parties Liaison Committee and former chairman of UDF party
