Parliament Speakers Issue Verdict on Nomination Losers who are Running as Independent Candidates

Senate Speaker Ekwe Ethuro and his National Assembly counterpart Justin Muturi on Tuesday stated that legislators who have resigned from their political parties to run as independent candidates will not lose their seats.

According to the Speakers, the Parliamentarians cannot be kicked out on the basis of a letter written to the registrar of political parties, and presented to the electoral commission, indicating that they have quit their parties.

Mr Ethuro, while speaking to the media, stated that Speakers of Parliament can declare a seat vacant but only after receiving a letter from the lawmakers indicating that they have resigned from their party.

“Until we get something legally binding, we cannot act. As Speakers of Parliament, we are supposed to be blind until another process opens our eyes,” Ethuro stated.

Earlier on, Kiharu Member of Parliament Irungu Kang’ata, had stated that all legislators who have resigned from their parties deserve no pay because they have ceased to be MPs.

“They have lost their seats. But there will be no by-elections. They are not entitled to any salary or allowances,” Mr Kang’ata stated.

The legislator further explained that the only reason why such lawmakers were still in Parliament was because the law does not provide for conducting of a By-election 3 months to the General Election.

Mr Ethuro, however, noted that the duty of kicking out politicians was not solely placed on parliament but also political parties.

He explained that political parties had been reluctant to start the process of kicking out members who demonstrated that they do not subscribe to the party ideals for fear that they might lose their popularity.

Some of the legislators who have resigned from their parties to vie as independent candidates include Paul Otuoma (Busia) and Kembi Gitura (Murang'a).