Top parties failing to hold post-election meet: Gelu

By LUKE KAMA
REGISTRAR of Political Parties Dr Alphonse Gelu says it is very disappointing that the ruling People’s National Congress and other major political parties have not had post-2017 election national conventions.
Gelu told The National yesterday that PNC Party, People’s Progress Party, United Resource Party, Pangu Pati and others had not had post-election conventions.
“The only two political parties that had their post-election party conventions are the National Alliance Party followed by the Social Democratic Party,” he said.
“We have been encouraging them to have their party conventions before and after every national election. That is important for them as a party to discuss their performance during the election and their party policies.”
Meanwhile, the Government is yet to pay outstanding constitutional grants of K1.9 million to political parties for last year and this year. Gelu said K800,000 was for outstanding constitutional grants for last year and K1.1 million for this year.
“These are constitutional grants that Government will have to pay to the Central Fund which is managed by the Registry of Political Parties,” he said.
“It’s not money that belongs to the registry. These are constitutional grants – money that is allocated under the Constitution to political parties in the country for their operations. We only have oversight of these funds in terms of transparency, accountability and reporting back to the Government.
“The Chief Secretary (Isaac Lupari) has written to the Secretary for Treasury (Dr Ken Ngangan) to release the outstanding money for 2017, which is K800, 000, to pay the five big parties: Peoples National Congress, National Alliance, People’s Progress Party, Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party and United Resource Party.