Ruto suffers another setback in Parliament as House rejects Duale amendment

Deputy President William Ruto has suffered a setback after a proposal by his close ally Aden Duale seeking to expunge a clause in the contentious Political Parties Amendment Bill, 2021 was defeated on the floor of the House.

In the morning sitting, Mr Duale was seeking to amend Clause 8 of the Bill, which provides that a coalition political party must deposit its coalition agreement with the Registrar of Political parties six months to the General Election.

While moving the amendments on Clause 8, Mr Duale termed the proposal requiring parties to deposit coalition agreement six months to General Election as mischievous and intended to sanitise the characters of some dishonest political leaders.

“This clause is intended to compel certain political parties to enter into coalition agreement by February this year. This house and its committees cannot be used to sanitise the character of some leaders,” Mr Duale said.

“This clause is being made for certain leaders for them to be accepted and win the next General Election, they now want to tell other people that they are electable and will not con people. When they formed Nasa and Cord, they conned other leaders. Their DNA will not change even with this Bill,” Mr Duale said.

Vote should be repeated for fairness

However, Mr Kimunya opposed Duale’s amendment saying by deleting it, will mean parties will form coalitions but will not deposit it with the Registrar of Political Parties, hence it will just be in some office.

On division, the amendment was defeated with 128 members voting against it while 104 voting for it.

The DP allies caused a storm protesting the outcome of the vote accusing the temporary speaker Jessica Mbalu of rigging.

The DP allies said some of the cards of their members were not working hence the vote was not free and fair.

Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa pointed out that the card of Lang’ata MP Nixon Korir was not functioning and therefore the vote should be repeated for fairness.

However, Ms Mbalu refuted the claims saying the technical IT department said the system was working and that Mr Korir participated in the vote.

“The systems are working and I will not allow these chambers to be used for politics and I will not repeat the vote. Take the politics to your constituencies,” she ruled.

The National Assembly has been recalled for a three-day special sitting to consider the parties Bill.