Parties in race to beat registration deadline

Twenty-four political parties have so far applied for full registration in a rush to beat the April 30 compliance deadline.By Wednesday only four political parties had been issued with the certificates of full registration while the rest are waiting clearance by the Acting Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung’u.Gichugu MP Martha Karua’s Narc-Kenya received its certificate on March 23, followed by the National Vision Party, which is led by former cabinet minister Nicholas Biwott on April 4.Labour Party of Kenya (LPK) and Grand National Union of Kenya (GNU) also received their certificates on April 4. Prof Julia Ojiambo is the leader of LPK while GNU, a splinter party of the Party of National Unity (PNU), is led by Assistant Minister Mwangi Kiunjuri.Parties that are still waiting for certificates are Orange Democratic Movement, PNU, PNU-Alliance, Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya, Ford-Kenya, Ford-People, New Ford Kenya, United Democratic Forum Party and Kenya Social Congress.Others are the Democratic Party, the Independent Party, Agano Party, Party of Action, Nuru Party, Mazingira Greens Party, Kenya National Congress, Party of Independent Candidates and Restore and Build Kenya.The National Alliance Party of Kenya, which is touted to be the party that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta would take over, has yet to hand in its application.The party is associated with businessman Nginyo Kariuki.Kanu is expected to hand in its application after a National Delegates Conference expected to take place on Saturday.For a political party to get full registration it has to have recruited not fewer than 2,000 registered voters from each of more than half of the 47 counties.The members have to reflect regional and ethnic diversity, gender balance and representation of minorities and marginalised groups.