The Kenya Kwanza Alliance Coalition is proposing barring political leaders who stage violent demonstrations from vying for political seats in the country.
Speaking during their presentation before the National Dialogue Committee, UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala proposed legislation to regulate the rights to demonstration, saying it will avert deaths and destruction of properties witnessed during political protests.
“The legislation should specifically address and provide mechanism to bar political leaders who lead violent demonstration from vying from any elective position. It should mandate the organizers to gazette the venue, time and reason for picketing,” Malala said.
Malala pointed out that the legal framework regulating demonstrations in the country will ensure organizers of protests are held liable in the aftermath of violent protests.
“The legislation should provide measures to ensure the leaders and organizers of violent demonstrations.This will encourage sanity and political order in our political class,” he said.
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This proposal is aimed at the leadership of the Azimio La Umoja Coalition leaders led by Orange Democratic Leader Raila Odinga and Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc Kenya Leader Martha Karua alongside other key leaders.
The opposition had called for protests against the perceived government's failure to tame the escalating cost of living and the audit of the 2022 presidential election.
However, they called off the demonstration to pave the way for talks.
Further, Kenya Kwanza has also called for the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission by the IEBC Selection panel, decrying that the delay in filling the commissioner’s posts has affected key constitutional processes.
“This will ensure we fast track whatever is outstanding which include the delimitation of boundaries and therefore we maintain that the selection panel should continue with the process so that the poll agency conduct the seven pending by elections,” said Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga has recently accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of seeking to pick the electoral agency commissioners unilaterally, opting out of the process.
Odinga had expressed concern over allocating two slots to the Parliamentary Service Commission and one slot to the Public Service Commission, stating that this gives the president an unfair advantage due to the PSC’s position in the Executive.
The Kenya Kwanza Alliance also supported the formation of the Office of the Opposition Leader and the entrenchment of the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary position in the Constitution.
