Political parties urged to resolve nomination disputes by April 22

The Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu has advised political parties to iron out nomination disputes before April 22, 2022.

Nderitu said that during a press briefing at the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties headquarters in Nairobi on Tuesday.

Nderitu disclosed that her office has received complaints about direct tickets being issued to some candidates.

However, Nderitu said that the selection of aspirants is the sole responsibility of political parties and parties can issue tickets through different methods.

“We have received complaints of the issue of direct ticket issuance to some candidates. But as we know the selection of aspirants is the sole responsibility of political parties. Political parties may issue tickets using different methods including consensus or affirmative action,” she said.

Nderitu said even though political parties are free to conduct their primaries however they deem fit as long as they are according to law, they should practise fairness in the process.

“We may not want really to curtail the process of political parties because the purpose of nomination is to ensure you have the best candidates. Fairness should however be exercised,” Nderitu said.

The registrar advised that disputes arising concerning nominations should be channelled through the available mechanisms of dispute resolution, as the ORPP does not want to usurp the power of political parties.

“We have dispute resolution mechanism stipulated in law including the political parties tribunal. We may not wish to usurp the powers of political parties in as far as nominations is concerned,” Nderitu said.

She advised political formations ought to declare which methods they intend to use to conduct their primaries and make them public before submitting them to her office.