DRAMA AT POLITICAL PARTIES LIAISON COMMITTEE POLL

Drama unfolded last week during the elections for the Political Parties Liaison Committee members held at Lillian Towers Nairobi. Campaigns to head the powerful political outfit turned out to be a tripartite contest where small parties ganged up against ODM and TNA.

Three camps emerged during the campaigns with eyes on the chairman’s slot. The ODM team had fronted nominated senator Elizabeth Ongoro, TNA had settled on its secretary general Onyango Oloo while the small parties who had formed a coalition fronted former Kathiani MP, Wavinya Ndeti.

The new chairman of the PPLC is now Wavinya Ndeti while David Nganga of Mwangaza Party was elected the vice chairman. Ford-People secretary general Albert Nyaundi was elected the treasurer with Joyce Mwambingu of Mkenya Solidarity as the deputy treasurer.

Hassan Osman of UDF was elected the secretary general while Alice Ndirangu of Agano party is the deputy. Benjamin Muema of New Ford Kenya is the new organising secretary and is to be deputised by Gichu Ndirangu of PDU.

Committee members were also elected as follows Alice Kiongo (political, education and publicity), Alfayo Alfonce (mediation and legal affairs), Eric Mbiu (resource mobilisation), Marere Wamwachai (electoral process) and John Ntwiga (petition and compliance). 

Drama began when Oloo arrived at the election hall accompanied by 10 delegates and was shocked to find the hall empty. He was followed closely by Ongoro who was accompanied by only four delegates. Wavinya who was meeting with delegates from “small” political parties then stormed the hall accompanied with 40 delegates.

According to the political parties Act, each registered political party sent one delegate and on seeing that the small parties had ganged up and there was no way Onyango and Ongoro could win, they attempted to disrupt the election.

The IEBC was to conduct the elections but delegates allied to Ongoro started hurling insult at the IEBC officials saying they had to leave the room. As pressure mounted, the IEBC officials left the room and asked the deputy registrar of political parties to conduct the elections.

After the meeting was called to order, Ongoro on sensing clear defeat stormed out of the election hall with her four delegates but Oloo withdrew from the race but was present until the end of the exercise.

Having no opponent, Wavinya’s team swept clean all the elective position and after confirmation as by the registrar of political parties as duly elected, retreated to Hotel Boulevard for a victory party.

In her acceptance speech, Wavinya called on all political parties to work together to open up democratic space. Analysts now say that with her new position and as the leader of the so-called small parties, she will now be a third force in the political arena.

The small parties which are not funded by the exchequer are now warning the three major parties ODM, TNA and URP to prepare for a political battle. The parties have 77 elected MPs, 500 elected MCAs, governors, senators and women reps.