• UDA filed the appeal despite having received the lion's share of Sh577,162,898 out of Sh1,475,000,000 shareable revenue in the 2022/2023 financial year.
• While delivering the stay orders on Friday, PPDT chairperson Desma Nungo said the matter will be mentioned on November 17 for further directions.
Image: FILE
The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal has issued interim orders suspending allocation of Political Parties Fund until an appeal filed by the United Democratic Alliance Party is heard and determined.
In the appeal filed by lawyer Adrian Njenga, the party wants the Registrar of Political Parties to disclose the formula used at arriving at the funds allocated to qualifying parties.
The party filed the appeal despite having received the lion's share of Sh577,162,898 out of Sh1,475,000,000 shareable revenue in the 2022/2023 financial year.
"Despite multiple requests and prodding, the Respondent has failed to disclose to the Appellant the formula employed in arriving at the said amount by indicating the treatment of votes secured by the Appellant visà-vis the total number of qualifying votes," UDA states in its suit.
The party argues that the RPP knowingly miscalculated the total number of votes garnered by qualifying parties in the August 9 general election in regard to the election of the President, Member of Parliament, County Governors and Member of County Assemblies.
It said the RPP disregarded UDA's unopposed votes in relation to the positions of Kericho County Women Representative and Member of County Assembly Ravine Ward, Baringo County.
"The import of the decision is that the Appellant shall be unlawfully deprived of funds in excess of Sh115 million that its right fully entitled to," UDA said.
While delivering the stay orders on Friday, PPDT chairperson Desma Nungo said the matter will be mentioned on November 17 for further directions.
"That pending the hearing and determination of the application herein, this honourable tribunal issues interim orders staying the decision of the Registrar of Political Parties published on November 4 vide Gazette notice No. 13509," Nungo said.
The Political Parties Act 2011 allocates 0.3 per cent of the national government revenue to finance activities of political parties.
Contrary to previous elections where only two parties were entitled to the funds, nearly 50 political parties that participated in the August polls will benefit from the Fund.
In the suspended allocation, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) got second highest amount of Sh308 million followed by Jubilee Party (Sh135 million) and Wiper Party (Sh72 million).
The funds are allocated based on the party representation in the County Assembly, Senate and the National Assembly.
In the National Assembly, UDA has 145 MPs, ODM (86), Jubilee (28) and Wiper (26).
United Democratic Movement (UDM) 8, ANC (8), Ford-Kenya (6), KANU (6), DAP-Kenya (5), PAA (3), Kenya Union Party (3), UPIA (2), Maendeleo Chap Chap (2) and The Service Party (2).
In the Senate, UDA has the highest number of representatives with at least 32 of the 67 senators.