Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna on Thursday protested over what he described as the national government's irregular reduction of the Political Parties Fund.
In a letter addressed to the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu, the Nairobi Senator claimed that the recent Supplementary Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2023/2024 show that the national government has proposed slashing the fund by Ksh867 million.
"We note with concern that with the reduction of the Fund, political parties will be immensely deprived of the resources to fund programs and activities contained in their work plans for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters,” the letter signed by Sifuna read.
ODM, in the letter, argued that based on the Ksh2 trillion revenue collected by KRA in the Financial Year 2021/2022, the 48 registered parties in the country should receive Ksh6.093 billion based on the 0.3% formula used to calculate the amount of money that the political outfits are eligible for in line with the law.
"The foregoing is in utter violation of political parties legitimate expectations and in limitation of their rights under the Political Parties Act and the Constitution of Kenya,” the letter further stated.
Sifuna further pointed out that the national government in the Financial Year 2022/2023 effected a similar reduction that saw Ksh590 million slashed from the fund.
The party submitted that grievances over the same, lodged by political parties were never addressed despite ODM obtaining a court order to claim its dues from the registrar.
Gazzete Notice
A gazette notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties shows that the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) are set to receive the largest share of the Political Parties Fund in the Financial Year 2023/2024.
Per the gazette notice, UDA will receive Ksh576.9 million. Meanwhile, ODM will receive Ksh308.2 million while Jubilee will get Ksh135.2 million.
Other parties set to benefit from the kitty include; Wiper which will get Ksh72.2 million, ANC (Ksh26.6 million), and NARC-Kenya (Ksh7.6 million).
Ford Kenya (Ksh25.8 million), KANU (Ksh24 million), UDM (Ksh26.9 million ), and Maendeleo ChapChap (Ksh12.7 million) are also expected to benefit from the kitty.
Meanwhile, this comes at a time when ODM party leader Raila Odinga has welcomed some recommendations contained in the National Dialogue Committee's (NDC) report.
The opposition leader on Wednesday hinted at the possibility of a referendum to legally entrench the creation of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary.
