MPs approve Nderitu’s nomination as Registrar of Political Parties

Members of Parliament on Thursday voted to approve the nomination of Anne Nderitu as the Registrar of Political Parties (RPP).

The MPs also approved the nomination of Ali Abdullahi and Florence Tabu as the assistant Registrars.

The house however upheld the committee’s recommendation that Wilson Mohochi’s nomination be rejected after it emerged that he had no clearance from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

He also did not meet the 10 year post-qualification experience mandatory for the post.

Mohochi graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Economics and Political Science) from University of Nairobi.

Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) had recommended the approval nomination of Nderitu, Abdullahi and Tabu.

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The committee chaired by Kigano Muturi rejected Mohochi on the account that he failed statutory ten-year requirement.

Nderitu had been holding the position in an acting capacity since 2018 when she took over from Lucy Ndung’u who was moved to the Commission on Administrative Justice.

In rejecting Mohochi the MPs wondered how Mohochi managed to be shortlisted for a job he did not meet the requirements.

“The nominee does not meet the statutory requirement of 10 years post-qualification experience relating to appointment of Political Parties as set out under section 33 (6)(c) of the Political Parties Act, 2011 (no. 11 of 2011),” the report reads.

“The Committee found the nominee not suitably qualified for appointment as Assistant Registrar of Political Parties.”

While contributing to the matter, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo who is JLAC’s vice Chairperson said the committee could not overlook the mandatory requirements for the post and also noted the nominee was partisan.

“This office requires some level of non partisanship, this nominee admitted he was a youth leader of his Governor in the county,” Otiende said.

The report was tabled by committee chairman on Thursday morning.

President Uhuru Kenyatta nominated Nderitu to take up the job on September 8.

Before taking up the registrar job in an acting capacity, Nderitu was the head of voter registration at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Recruitment for a registrar, which started in May, had been challenged in court by a Jubilee Party official citing failure to adhere to principles of fair administrative action.

The petitioners wanted the courts to stop Parliament and the Public Service Commission (PSC) from conducting the selection.

They argued that the recruitment is in breach of the Constitution because the law was changed ‘illegally’ in 2016 to incorporate PSC.

The names will now be forwarded to the President for formal appointment.