The National Assembly Justin Muturi has called off special sitting scheduled for today, Thursday, January 6 after Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed yesterday.
In an announcement to Members of Parliament (MP) on Thursday, the Speaker through Clerk of the National Assembly Michael Sialai said the legislators had concluded the Third Reading of the bill and, therefore, there was no need to have the two subsequent sittings as gazetted on Monday.
The MPs will now resume normal sittings on Tuesday, January 25 at 2:30 pm after their Christmas and New Year recess.
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President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga’s Handshake team flexed its muscles in the National Assembly yesterday, delivering one blow after another against Deputy President William Ruto’s camp.
After deafening noise that has characterised the debate on the bill within and outside the House, it was Uhuru and Raila’s team that rode to victory at the end of the day.
This was despite spirited attempts by Ruto’s side to frustrate the adoption of the proposed law that would seamingly pave the way for the realisation of the Azimio La Umoja coalition.
As has been the case since the bill was first introduced in the House in December, the battle for its survival once again pitted lawmakers associated with the March 2018 Handshake between the President and Raila against those supporting Ruto’s presidential candidature in the August elections.
Ruto’s team had come prepared with dozens of amendments to try to delay the bill’s passage but they were met with a voting brick wall that bounced back every proposal they threw at it.
It was clear from the beginning that the Handshake team had come prepared for a proper showdown.
The first amendment to fall was one by Nambale MP Sakwa Bunyasi (ANC). The MP, wanted the clause that allows coalitions to field candidates to be changed to only allow them to sponsor a presidential aspirant but not other lower positions.
Opposed amendment
Bunyasi had the support of Ruto’s allies, who are now informally in the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), but his amendment suffered an easy defeat as 132 MPs voted it down against 111 in favour.
The amendment sought to amend Clause 8 of the bill by introducing a new one requiring that a coalition political party shall only field candidates for President.
If the amendment had passed, it would have dealt a major blow to the quest by the proponents of the bill to have governors, senators, MPs and MCAs vie on a coalition ticket.
Leader of Majority Amos Kimunya had vehemently opposed the amendment, terming it unconstitutional as it went against Article 38 of the Constitution.
“You cannot define what a political party can do or cannot do. A political party is at liberty to nominate candidates at whatever level and limiting it will be the most unfortunate thing in this country,” Kimunya said.
