This archive report was first published on 29 December 2021.
On December 29, 2021, the Kenyan National Assembly was on the cusp of a crucial vote on the Political Parties Amendment Bill of 2021, a pivotal factor in the 2022 presidential election.
Deputy President William Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga were locked in a two-horse race, with Ruto urging MPs to reject the amendments, terming them 'fraudulent laws.'
However, Odinga, who had secured a concession from President Uhuru Kenyatta, was keen to see the amendments passed, which would allow parties or coalitions to front a presidential candidate.
Majority Leader Amos Kimunya, who sponsored the Bill, accused MPs allied to Ruto of attempting to derail the process with their walkout from a Justice and Legal Affairs Committee meeting.
Kimunya stated, 'They are members who came here to create chaos and I have sat through the committee and I am of the conclusion that most of members who came were not in good faith, let's put Kenya first.'
The controversy surrounding the Bill had sparked heated debates, with some MPs arguing that there was insufficient public participation, while others maintained that the process was in line with the Constitution.
