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Political parties have been challenged to utilise the Sh1.48 billion set to be disbursed to them by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties to build party politics and democracy by sustaining activities such as being avenues for peoples’ participation.

Universal Unity Party (UUP) leadership led by the party leader Robert Wairiri said, besides fielding candidates during elections, they have a responsibility of expressing citizens’ interest in Parliament and formulate public policy positions and present policy alternatives by taking positions on important policy questions as well as objective criticism.

“That the ORPP has allocated billions to qualifying political parties in the country, almost immediately after the elections, is a clear message that parties have more serious roles beyond fielding candidates during main elections. Most parties have been remaining dormant until two years before the elections. Parties should be active in civic education on matters of politics, being the voice of the people by objectively critiquing the government of the day and proposing solutions to issues with a view to making the country better,” Wairiri said.

Wairiri spoke while addressing the parties governing council meeting at Blue Springs Hotel on Saturday where he also announced that deliberately undertaking sustained activities ensure it remains active in the next five years unlike main parties which have suspended operation, possibly waiting for 2027 campaigns to come.

Promote active participation

At least 45 political parties in the county are expected to receive a total of Sh1.48 billion from the Political Parties Fund for the financial year 2022/2023, with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party getting Sh577 million  while Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)  will receive Sh308 million.

Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party came third with Sh135 million, Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper (Sh72 million), DAP-K (Sh31.6 million), UDM (Sh26.89 million), Amani National Congress (Sh26.6 million), and Ford-Kenya (Sh25.8 million).

The fund is to be used for among other things, promoting active participation by individual citizens in political life, conduct of civic education in democracy and other electoral processes, bringing the political party’s influence to bear on the shaping of public opinion and covering the election expenses of the political party and the broadcasting of the policies of the party.

Waititu  said the outfit which has 780, 000 members so far, as per the register in the ORPP and branches in 29 counties, , intends to be the face of sanity within political party operations, and a case study of how parties should operate, adding that it’s their desire to ensure consistency and vibrancy and being active in the national discourse by offering voices that will help in bettering the country.

Failure by parties

“The party will continue to play its core role as a party with sanity, as most of the other political parties have gone wild with joining coalitions thus denying wananchi the right to have a political party of their choice. I call upon you all to go out and preach the gospel of UUP and recruit as many members as possible, in readiness for any eventualities politically. It was a wake-up point for Kenyans to diversify their social and political destiny, in order for them to play their roles in pursuit of a positive destiny for their country,” he told the council.

Failure by parties to engage in sustained activities have been cited as the major reason most of them do not go beyond election cycle, with they begin to lose flavour immediately after the General Elections, and once new parties are registered, their popularity is pegged on the popularity of its leader.