Kaloleni Mp Paul Katana has called on the registrar of political parties to quickly resolve the illegal registration of voters to parties that are not of their choice.
According to Katana, some Kenyans have expressed deep concerns after realizing they have been registered into political parties that they do not subscribe to.
He says this has defied fundamental rights and freedoms including the right to privacy and data protection as well as the right to make free freedom choices.
“The registrar of political parties must resolve this matter amicably, there must be a law that protects the rights of the people to ensure that people do not find themselves registered in parties that are not of their choice, “said Katana.
Speaking during a political parties sensitization meeting of political aspirants from the Coast region and the office of political parties registrar, the Mp welcomed the changes in the new political party law saying it brought sanity in the political parties by strengthening how nomination affairs will be conducted.
“This law has strengthened political parties and we support it because if you feel discriminated in the nomination process, you can walk out, again the law also has cleaned the way we will participate in the nomination, unlike before where people who are not even in the register ,participated in the nomination elections,” said Katana.
This happens as the office of the registrar of political parties ORPP says it has deployed enough personnel in the regions to solve disputes that will emerge from party nominations processes countrywide.
The registrar prospects massive disputes may emerge from candidates after the nomination processes, but urges parties to exercise transparency and diplomacy to avert disputes.
“The new law has added 18 new members to the political party’s dispute tribunal (PPDT) initially they were only six and they couldn’t go everywhere, but now we have more personnel who will be able to solve the disputes speedly,”said Abdilahi.
On his part deputy political parties registrar Ali Abdilahi said 18 new members have been recruited to solve regional tribunals.
“Initially people used to go to Nairobi but now members of the tribunal are able to sit aim all regions so that they handle all cases emanating from the primaries, so it makes justice more open to members, there will be different panels independently to solve disputes, “said Abdilahi.
The registrar said it will monitor party nominations so as to ensure special groups get their nomination fairness in line with set party laws and code of conduct.
“We are now in talks with the National persons with disability council body to ensure that anybody disabled and is in the party list gets genuine certificates to avoid people declaring themselves disabled and they are not, so we will be verifying the list,” added Abdilahi.
