URP to dissolve in December as MPs seek to amend Political Parties Act

URP to dissolve in December as MPs seek to amend Political Parties Act

Deputy President William Ruto’s United Republican Party (URP) will dissolve in mid December this year to allow its members to join the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP), which is President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto’s new political vehicle.

URP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) resolved to hold a national delegates convention in December to ratify the dissolution.

This comes amid amendments to the Political Parties Act to be moved in Parliament next week, through which the ruling coalition seeks to clip the wings of rebels under the coalition.

A three hour closed door meeting of URP’s NEC on Thursday saw the resolution to close shop reached, a decision that will now await ratification from the  national delegates convention to be convened on December 18th.

A steering committee is currently working to have political parties under the Jubilee coalition fold and join JAP by December.

And while the Political Parties Act protects elected members in the event of dissolution, amendments to it aimed at taming or push out perceived party rebels are expected in the House next week.

Currently, Section 22 (2) of the Political Parties Act says; “where a political party that has been de-registered under Section 21 had representatives elected to Parliament, or county assembly, such representatives shall continue to serve for the remainder of their term as independents or as members of other political parties.”

The proposed amendment states: “where a political party merges with another political party, a member of the political party that has merged with another political party and who is a Member of Parliament, or of a county assembly, a Governor or deputy governor, shall be deemed to have joined the merged political party.”

The amendments by Justice and Legal Affairs committee chairperson Samwel Chepkonga, will seek to have members of the folding parties automatically become members of the new party for the remainder of their term.

The coalition further seeks to have a ten year cushion for the use of the folding political party names, as such, no one can ride on or use their names for ten years.

Essentially those opposed to the merger to join JAP will be forced to shape up, or ship out.

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