Kenyan MP seeks end to political parties

Ndicho says voting in Kenya is done along tribal lines

A Kenyan opposition legislator has moved a motion in parliament seeking the abolishment of political parties and the creation of a partyless state.

Social Democratic Party, (SDP) member for Juja, Stephen Ndicho wants all political party activities in the country to be suspended for at least 10 years inorder to curb tribalism.

Every tribe in Kenya seems to be owning a political party

Stephen Ndicho

Kenya, which has 47 tribes, ended its single party rule in 1991 and has since held two multi-party general elections.

Mr Ndicho insisted that his motion did not advocate for a return to a single party political system but seeks to provide a stop gap measure in the country's politics to heal tribal and political divisions.

Political enmity

"Since the advent of multi-partism in this country in 1991, tribalism has really taken a toll order on this country," Mr Ndicho told BBC.

"Every tribe in Kenya seems to be owning a political party", he said adding that "if this trend continues, you can imagine Kenya will be a disintegrated country."

The member said Kenya should borrow a leaf from Uganda where President Museveni banned political parties when he took power in 1986 inorder to restore stability in a country that had been ravaged by war.

Mr Ndicho said there was political enmity among Kenya's different party members, adding that during the 1992 and 1997 general elections, results showed that voting was done along tribal or regional lines.