Youth and Peaceful Elections in Kenya

Chapter Seven: Role of Political Parties in Ensuring Peaceful and Fair Elections

108 Youth and Peaceful Elections in Kenya Chapter Seven Role of Political Parties in Ensuring Peaceful and Fair Elections Njeri Kabeberi Defining the political party within the Kenyan context A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions. They traditionally often espouse an expressed ideology or vision bolstered by a written platform with specific goals, forming a coalition among disparate interests.1 The Organization of American States (OAS) argues that to achieve democratic sustainability a country cannot only depend on “clean elections”; democratic values through a constant continuity of dynamic exchange of ideas about democratic practice and consolidation of institutions, among them political parties, as well as within government, parliaments and congresses, academic institutions, civil society organizations and others is critical and should be strengthened. It is important to note that political parties form the cornerstone to political, social and economic growth of countries and societies. The Centre for Multi-Party Democracy (CMD)-Kenya, works towards institutionalizing political parties so that they can take their rightful role in society – issues of corporate governance, financial management, gender equity, inclusivity of minorities and the marginalized, adherence to the constitution and the rule of law form part of our core programs.The law to regulate, manage and finance political parties (Political Parties Act 2007 replaced by Political Parties Act, 2011) is now operational. It is nonetheless important to understand how the political situation deteriorated to the level of needing a law to regulate and manage parties. Indeed many Kenyans still speak ill of their political parties and vehemently disown them at any given opportunity despite being voters every five years. The comment below gives us an idea on the perspectives by citizens on the Kenyan political party: ‘Our political parties are in a shambles.They are a theatre of all the bad things. From suspected drug lords, high level corruption suspects and The Hague watch list, not forgetting the daily squabbling and threats of splitting. Looking on any of the 47 registered political parties to give us a good leader is probably a pipe dream. We are likely to recycle the old guard who control the nomination process. Whereas political parties are meant to be institutions with ideals and values on which leadership shall be based, ours are simply political vehicles created to ascend to power. They are easily identified with “their” owners. It is not surprising that the top leaders are the undisputed presidential candidates’.2 Since Antony Kagiri made this statement in January 2011, we have a new law in place and parties have been registered afresh. Despite the very strict law, much of his statement still remains true. Over time we have observed resistance to structured and disciplined acceptance of the various principles that would otherwise make political parties shape up faster than is currently the situation. Generic principles on corporate governance, financial management, and membership development among others that make many other institutions grow have been criticized as not directly relevant to political parties. Many political parties constantly claim that their role is to take over political power and not necessarily sit in boardrooms like corporate organizations. Consequently, there is constant resistance to structured dialogue and systemic organization. Additionally, direct principles of intra-party democracy and a search or identification with a party ideology that would otherwise distinguish and strengthen a political party are equally resisted. Public perception on the political party is very low in Kenya and this is made worse by activities of members of parliament. Many members of parliament dump their party as soon as they get to parliament making it difficult to follow through on any pre-election promise. In recent times, the public has seen parliament dilute legislation and even make laws that undermine the constitution, yet no political party stands up to such adulteration of the laws or the constitution; leaving that role instead to civil society organizations. It is thus assumed that there is general resistance by parties to checks and balances. According to Afro barometer, an independent research project on public opinion in sub-Saharan Africa, 66 percent of Kenyans said in 2005 that Role of Political Parties in Ensuring Peaceful and Fair Elections 109 110 Youth and Peaceful Elections in Kenya competition between political parties “often” or “always” leads...