Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu has refused the request to reserve and register three political names similar to Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Nderitu in a letter addressed to ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna heeded the request by ODM to oppose the reservation and registration of the names saying it was requested outside the confines of the Constitution.
“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 reads in part.
This comes following Kisumu former CEC for Roads and Works Thomas Owiti’s letter dated March 13th, addressed to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) looking to have party names ODM Asili, ODM Kamili, and ODM Mpya reserved.
Also Read: ODM Objects to Reservation of Names Similar to the Party’s
Moreover, ODM party chairperson John Mbadi and Edwin Sifuna in a joint statement wrote to Nderitu disputing 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 said.
ODM party argued that the applicant was seeking the request outside the ambits of the law and as such asked the registrar of political parties Ann Nderitu to dismiss the request.
“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 in part.