The growing cases of attempts to expel politicians from political parties are as a result of total rule from party leaders, Centre of Multiparty Democracy Executive Director Frankline Mukwanja has said.
This comes at a time when some parties have been struggling to punish members over indiscipline, among them the Amani National Congress (ANC), which has since suspended Kakamega Senator Cleopa Malala.
Mukwanja says that this is as a result of the parties being under the total dictatorship of party leaders, to an extent that members cannot air their independent views without being seen as going against party laws.
"Kenya's political party culture that is characterized by dominant tribal kingpins is the main stumbling block. There is in fact, a very thin line between a party position and the interests of the party leader. In most cases, the party leaders selfish interest is packaged to look like the common good in the name of the party position," he told the Star.
He said that the growing cases of politicians daring their parties and staying put is because of the fading culture where people needed specific parties to be elected and the growing number of voters who vote for individual people.
Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu said that while parties are allowed to discipline indiscipline members, they have been ending up on the losing end owing to the long appeal process.
She admitted that parties have been ending up frustrated after failing to expel rebellious members, and now wants the blocs to use the right channels and observe the law to achieve the preferred outcome.
"What we are encouraging from where we sit is that the parties should strictly follow the provisions of the law and also stick to their constitution so that when the process is challenged there is no loophole," she said.