Deputy President William Ruto’s allies yesterday appeared to welcome the signing into law of the contentious Political Parties Bill despite putting up a spirited fight to shoot it down.

Of particular interest to the Ruto camp was the clause that allows political parties to enter into a coalition before general elections, coming only days after the DP entered into an alliance with Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula.   

The new law, the DP and Mudavadi’s allies stated, will pave way for the crystallization of the new alliance into a coalition ahead of the August election.

“Politics is strange. President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga spent huge state resources to ensure the Political Parties Bill is passed so that OKA principals Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka and Wetangula are accommodated in Raila’s Azimio La Umoja and DP Ruto is isolated.

The bill is passed. Ruto will use it to accommodate ALL,” Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi tweeted.

Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja who voted in support of the Bill told People Daily that when the bill was being formulated, its proponents thought there would be a challenge or a contest.

“In their mind, maybe one side of the political side, probably needed so much but I want to categorically say, even as we need it, we needed more than you. We now need it. You’re forming a coalition party.

We’re also forming a coalition party. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander,” said Sakaja, a close ally of Mudavadi.

“These rules will  not be applied to only one side of the elections. It will be applied to both sides. If it’s a bad law, it is going to be bad for everyone. If it is a good law, it is going to be good for everyone,” he added.

All winners

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen (pictured) noted: “We have passed Political Parties Amendment Bill and effectively given Azimio the rope they wanted to hang themselves. Let no one come back crying to us after the April nominations.”

Among the major wins in the law is that just like ODM leader Raila Odinga’s Azimio La Umoja Movement, Ruto’s new political partners ANC and Ford Kenya would also require the protection of the new law to benefit from the political parties’ fund.

On Wednesday, Senators allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila forced through the bill despite a spirited fight from Ruto allies to amend it. 

Using their superior numbers in the Senate, the pro-handshake senators just like their counterparts in the National Assembly delivered one blow after another against the rival camp that was determined to shoot down the bill.

The pro-handshake team garnered 28 votes against their rivals’ paltry seven to force the bill through the second reading.  

They also shot down 15 amendments that had been proposed by Ruto’s allies to water it down.