The Political Parties Dispute Tribunal is currently examining a petition to compel the Registrar of Political Parties to recognise “The Gen Z Party” as an official political entity.
The petition was filed by James Ogega after his application to reserve and register the name was turned down, despite compliance with Section 4B of the Political Parties Act and the payment of requisite fees.
According to court documents, Ogega received a call from the Registrar’s office on July 16, 2024, informing him of a letter ready for collection. This letter, dated July 11, 2024, stated that the name “The Gen Z Party” was rejected for allegedly not promoting inclusivity as required by Article 91(1)(a)(e) of the Constitution.
Ogega contends that the Registrar’s decision contravenes constitutional principles, particularly Articles 10, 20(2), 31(3), 27(4), 28, 36, 38, and 232. He argues that the Registrar failed to provide an interpretation of the name “The Gen Z Party” before the refusal, merely stating that it does not promote inclusivity.
“The name ‘Gen Z Party’ can have multiple interpretations, such as Generation Zote, Generation Zion, General Zod, Gender Z, or General Zeus,” Ogega argued, highlighting the ambiguity of the Registrar’s reasoning.
He further noted that the Registrar’s decision was made without reviewing the proposed party’s list of members, a necessary step to assess inclusivity. The petition stated, “The decision made by the Registrar of Political Parties was made before she saw the list of members, the regions covered by the political party so that she could conclude that the name does not promote inclusivity.”
Thus, he claims the rejection was premature and discriminatory, violating his political rights. Ogega emphasised that Section 8 of the Political Parties Act lists prohibited names, and “The Gen Z Party” does not fall under this category.
Additionally, Ogega pointed out that the Registrar’s office took 21 days to respond, exceeding the 14-day limit stipulated by Section 4B(3) of the Political Parties Act.
“The 14 days had lapsed, making the notification time-barred. I expected a letter indicating the name was reserved,” he asserted, citing Article 38(1) of the Constitution, which grants every citizen the right to form a political party.
Ogega is seeking the Tribunal’s intervention to declare the Registrar’s decision as discriminatory and unconstitutional. He has requested the Tribunal to quash the decision made in the letter dated July 11, 2024, and direct the Registrar to reserve the name “The Gen Z Party” as of June 24, 2024.
Alternatively, he seeks an order confirming the name’s reservation for the same date.
This comes as the movement that started in June, takes on a new shape. The youths have maintained they are leaderless and have rebuffed calls to join political parties.
Read the Original Article on https://www.kenyans.co.ke/
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