Azimio-allied parties have accused Ruto-led government of stifling the opposition, by not okaying the release of the political parties funds.
Addressing the press this afternoon, Azimio political parties secretaries-general – in unison – accused the President of blowing both hot and cold on the matter of funds distribution. In the recent joint media interview, the President, while answering a question from journalists, had said that political parties had already received political parties funds. However, while addressing the press this afternoon, Azimio parties Secretaries general said that their parties are yet to receive any funds from the registrar of political parties.
“During his recent interview, he alluded to the fact that money due to political parties had already been released. We as secretaries-general of the qualifying parties have had a meeting with the Registrar of Political Parties and she confirmed that in fact, Treasury has still not disbursed the money,” said Mr Sifuna.
“So, when the President says that he expects a very robust opposition, he is lying to Kenyans because his actions are directed towards ensuring that they cripple political parties, especially the opposition political parties.”
Ruto-led government has however been adamant that it needs an active opposition so that it’d put the government on check, something that opposition leaders have found issues with. “The delay and underfunding to political parties has greatly affected party institutionalization and lowered the desired value-infusion, which in turn would ensure that the people of Kenya see political parties as necessary organisations in the democratisation process,” they said in their joint statement.
Mr Sifuna said that the last time political parties received funding from the state was in June last year – and that this time round, the Ruto-led government is up for a sinister motive.
“ODM, you know, has 47 county offices. We have rent arrears from June last year,” he said.
He added: “Our county chairmen are calling us every day. They think we are lying because the President told them on national media that money was released to the Registrar of Political Parties.”
