NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 29 – The Registrar of Political Parties has declined the request for registration and reservation of three political names that resemble that of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
In a letter addressed to ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, Nderitu heeded to the request by the Raila Odinga-led party to oppose the registration of the names saying it was requested outside the confines of the Constitution.
In a letter dated March 13th, Kisumu former CEC for Roads and Works Thomas Owiti had written to the ORPP seeking the nod for reservation of ODM Asili, ODM Kamili, and ODM Mpya.
“This Office subsequently declined the application for reservation of the proposed names because they did not meet the requirements of Section 8 of the PPA,” the letter read.
In a joint statement, the party Chairperson John Mbadi, and Secretary General Edwin Sifuna have written to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) Anne Nderitu to object the reservation of the names.
“The application in question for the reservations of the names not only offends section 8 of the Political Parties Act but smacks of a sinister move geared at causing confusion within our membership and the public in general on the proper functioning of our party,” the duo stated.
The Raila Odinga-led coalition is calling on the Nderitu to dismiss the request by the applicant saying it’s seeking the reservation outside the ambits of the law.
“To enhance sanity in political parties’ registration and management we, therefore, urge your office to uphold the law by dismissing the application for failing to meet the legal threshold,” the joint statement read.
ODM is the largest political party in Kenya born out of a protracted struggle for reforms in Kenya.
ODM Party was born out of the NO (Orange) team that spearheaded the defeat of the retrogressive draft constitution in November 2005 with a view to restarting the constitution-making process.
The Orange victory at the referendum transformed the movement into a major political party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) which Raila Odinga and current Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi captained.
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