Esther Passaris loses appeal on party registration, vows to push on

Businesswoman Esther Passaris has lost a High Court appeal to have her Harambee party registered.

Passaris had earlier filed a petition before the Political Parties Tribunal when the registrar of political parties rejected her plea to have her political party registered – a petition she lost hence informing her move to appeal the decision at the High Court.

In her ruling, High Court Judge Lucy Njuguna upheld the decision of the Political Parties Tribunal that Political Parties Act does not allow specified names to be used as party names

She further noted that existing parties, like Madaraka Party, were registered before Political Parties Act was enacted, while names like Nyayo Estate, Harambee Sacco are registered under the Societies Act.

Speaking after the ruling, Passaris stated that the outcome was a minor setback, and she promised to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.

Passaris, however, said she would not be discouraged by the court ruling, vowing to keep on with her quest to clinch the Nairobi governorship seat.

She said political parties that have approached her are tribal outfits, stating that she would not hesitate to run as an independent candidate, should her push to register her party fail to bear fruit.