Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruto on Friday made proposals to amend the Constitution of the United Democratic Alliance. In a statement, UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala said the amendments seek to streamline the process to be employed by the party in conducting grassroots elections of its officials.
The proposal contains concerns, structure and composition of the County Congress, Constituency Congress, Ward Congress and Polling Centre Members Committee.
Ruto proposed to amend Article 5 by adding the deputy governors to the governor’s caucus to ensure the inclusion of all elected leaders in various party organs.
He also proposed to amend Article 16 where elected leaders form part of the county congress. Ruto wants to introduce a mandatory threshold for gender representation that will ensure gender parity in the election.
“The amendment requires that a candidate who garners the most votes becomes the chairperson and the next candidate of the opposite gender with the highest votes shall automatically deputize the chairperson,” he said.
The party wants elected leaders to form part of the constituency congress. It also proposes to introduce 13 officials who will form part of the Constituency Committee in addition to seven members with a requirement to observe the two-third gender rule.
The party will also amend Article 17 to introduce a clause that outlines the constituency committee officials. Ruto proposed to amend Article 18 by specifying the elected leaders who shall form part of the ward congress.
“It also proposes to delete sub-article (iii) and introduce the composition of officials with a formula to ensure the two-third gender rule is observed,” he said.
The draft also proposes to amend Article 18 (v) on the composition of the Ward executive Committee by clustering the chairperson and deputy chairperson into one category and that of the secretary and deputy secretary into another category. The move will ensure gender parity in their election.
Ruto also wants to amend Article 19.1 by deleting the word “delegates” and substituting it with “members committee” to provide a distinction between the composition of the polling centre members committee and that of the National delegates congress.
It also proposes to introduce seven (7) officials who form the Polling Centre Executive Committee to ensure diversity in leadership at the polling center level.
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