Political parties asked to tame rogue candidates

Nakuru County Commissioner Erastus Mbui speaks to the journalist during the launch of a peace caravan at Shabbab Grounds Nakuru on 23 June 2022

Photo credit: Richard Maosi | Nation Media Group

Political parties have been urged to closely monitor the conduct of their members during the campaign period.

The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has warned against condoning candidates who engage in election malpractices and other activities likely to breach peace before, during and after the August 9 General Election.

Mr Ali Surraw, the assistant registrar of political parties, has warned that parties will be held liable alongside their members who are found culpable of election offences.

Mr Surraw said his office will be closely monitoring the activities of politicians and will be ready to take punitive actions against errant members and their parties.

He called upon parties to apply their internal control mechanisms to tame members likely to run rogue campaigns so as to avoid falling into trouble.

Mr Surraw said the ORPP had dispatched its officers to all 290 constituencies to monitor campaign activities.

“We have ensured that political parties sign the political parties’ code of conduct and we will be closely monitoring their activities. Let the parties tame their candidates and supporters and ensure they promote the rule of law,” he said.

He said the ORPP had deployed at least 350 election monitors across the country.

The launch of a peace caravan at Shabbab Grounds Nakuru on 23 June 2022

Photo credit: Richard Maosi | Nation Media Group

He was speaking in Nakuru during the launch of a peace caravan in collaboration with the Political Parties Liaison Committee, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and Nakuru County security team.

Nakuru County commissioner Erastus Mbui said the event is part of programmes being carried out by a multisectoral committee formed to ensure that there are free, fair and peaceful elections.

Mr Mbui said the team has been running similar programmes across the county in a bid to rally residents and politicians to observe peace.

Mr Mbui noted that Nakuru was enjoying peace with few ugly incidents.

He said that security agents had neutralised the activities of the dreaded Confirm gang that has been identified as a possible threat to peace.

“This is part of election preparedness programmes that we are [undertaking] as a county and we are not going to stop until we make all the residents understand that they stand to lose more in the event of violence,” he said. 

“At the moment, we have nothing to worry about as we are on top of matters in relation to security.”