The political scene has been hit by a proliferation of small parties, threatening the fortunes of major election vehicles as the 2022 general election campaigns intensify.
Regional power brokers are unveiling party after party in what could crowd the country’s political arena with fringe outfits- popularly known as briefcase parties - ahead of next year’s poll.
According to the records at the Registrar of Political Parties, there are 79 fully registered parties in the country as of this month.
Kenya is the region’s record holder of numerous parties compared to the neighbours, with Tanzania having 22 and Uganda 26.
Notably, records at the registrar’s office show that the institution received more than 1,000 applications for registration as politicians dashed to own parties.
For provisional registration of a political party in Kenya, one needs Sh100,000 while at the full registration stage one must part with Sh500,000 more before securing the certificate.
“Registering a political party is capital intensive and a part from the operational expenses, one needs a much as Sh600,000 to fully register a political party in Kenya over and above meeting all the other statutory requirements,” registrar of parties Anne Nderitu said.
POLITICAL VEHICLES
With politicians scheming to survive in next year's polls, bigwigs have unveiled their own political vehicles, including governors who are on the offensive to stamp their influence.
Some of the governors who have launched parties include John Lonyangapuo (Kenya Union Party), Lee Kinyanjui (Ubuntu Peoples Forum), Kiraitu Murungi (Devolution Empowerment Party) and Nderitu Muriithi who has taken over PNU.
The propping up of these small parties in various regions has triggered panic among major political players over the possibility of having their influence chipped away and their numbers vanquished.
While some regional political bigwigs are scheming to use their parties for power negotiations to safeguard their interests, others are propping up the outfits for post-2022 political survival.
Political analysts now opine that the emergence of regional parties could fly in the face of past efforts by major political players to build national parties with support across the country.
On Thursday, Kenyan National Congress party leader Manson Nyamweya told the Star that small parties should not be bastardised as they are indicative of the country’s thriving democracy.
“Let us allow political parties a level playground to market their ideologies because they are key pillars of democracy,” the former South Mugirango MP said.
Nyamweya maintained that it would be healthy for the country to enjoy the presence of many parties than to have few personality-driven outfits.
“Kenyans must be allowed to exercise their freedom to choose the political parties they want to associate themselves with for different reasons,” the KNC boss added.
Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance is facing intense pressure from small parties, which have refused to fold over fears of being swallowed by the juggernaut.
Leaders of the small parties have insisted they will not fold their outfits for UDA although they proclaim their support for the DP and his hustler nation movement ahead of next year’s polls.
In response, the DP’s strategists are said to have maintained that the small parties can only enter into a post-election coalition with UDA depending on how they will perform in the elections.
MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY
On Thursday, Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, a key Ruto ally, insisted that the return of the small parties is good in entrenching multi-party democracy.
Kuria,who is the leader of Chama Cha Kazi, said while he is propping up his party, he still supports the hustler nation and Tangatanga movement.
“My love is with William Ruto but he needs to tell us if he wants small parties or not so that we plan ourselves," Kuria said.
He went on, “I have been uncomfortable accompanying Ruto to public rallies because when he says 'Haramabee'I don’t know whether I will respond, 'Chama Cha Kazi'.”
The stand-off in UDA over small parties is said to have strained the relationship between Ruto and some of the political bigwigs from President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Mount Kenya backyard.
Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri who is the leader of The Service Party has opposed any push to fold his party declaring such a move as aimed at disadvantaging the Mount Kenya region.
ODM chief Raila Odinga has also faced pressure to embrace regional parties that are supporting his 2022 presidential ambition.
Last week, while campaigning in Central Kenya, Raila lifted the lid on behind-the-scenes pressure rocking his 2022 presidential campaigns when he was forced to openly admit that will work with the small parties.
“I am here with Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, the leader of PNU, and former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo, who is the leader of Tujibebe Wakenya Party, and I will work with all these parties going forward,” Raila said in Kiambu.
Apart from TPS, CCK and Tujibebe, there are more outfits positioning themselves to reap big in the anticipated UDA nominations falling out in Mt Kenya region.
They include Martha Karua’s Narc Kenya, Nderitu's PNU, Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria’s Usawa Kwa Wote party, Democratic Party linked to National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and the People’s Empowerment Party.
The disintegration of Nasa also could have sent a number of politicians back to the drawing board.
In anticipation of the fallouts that characterise nominations by major political parties, the smaller outfits are going to be the fall-back plan for the losers.
In Nyanza and Western regions, parties are propping themselves, threatening to jolt Raila’s support in a region that has traditionally backed him in past presidential elections.
In the 2013 elections, fringe parties pulled surprises in parts of Nyanza where they won ward and National Assembly seats, and are set to reap the spoils of any fallout from ODM.
The parties in the region include Governor Okoth Obado’s People’s Democratic Party, Citizen Conventions Party, Movement for Democracy and Growth, Green Congress Movement Party, Federal Party and Communist Party of Kenya.
There is also the United Progressive Alliance that was launched recently by some Kisii politicians and said to be linked to Interior CS Fred Matiang’i.
Small parties are also posing a major headache for the Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang'ula.
First, there is the Democratic Action Party of Kenya, which was launched recently in Webuye, Bungoma County. The outfit has been linked to Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.
Other parties offering alternatives in Western are Maendeleo Democratic Party led by Amis Mukanda and the Cyrus Jirongo-led United Democratic Party.
In the Rift Valley, Chama Cha Mashinani party led by former Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto is also flexing its muscle, spreading its tentacles in the South Rift region where it managed to win some ward representatives seats.
At the Coast, the last few months have seen major players such as ODM and Kanu intensify campaigns in the region, despite Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi’s push to unite the region under the Pamoja Africa Alliance.
Other than PAA, Kadu Asili, Shirikisho Party of Kenya and Umoja Summit Party of Kenya are also fighting to remain relevant ahead of polls.
Shirikisho and Kadu Asili have joined hands with Umoja Summit and Communist Party of Kenya to wrestle ODM, Jubilee and now UDA in the hunt for votes.
In 2016, a merger of 11 small parties led to the formation of the Jubilee Party of Kenya which delivered victory in the 2017 presidential election.
