Why our parties or coalitions fail the transition test once in power

UDA party supporters listen to their presidential candidate during the 2022 presidential campaigns. [File, Standard]

Change and transition management involves systematic planning, organising and preparing people and institutions to move from one state to a better newer state.

You replace or modify or alter the existing state/situation without affecting the continuity of business of the institution during the transition.

The process or period of change is defined as the transition. Change in institutions may occur naturally by attrition, through sustained attack, pressure or slow weakening or it may be determined, planned, structured and timed. Changes are inevitable, as nothing or situations can remain the same or static.

Changes in political coalitions are dynamic yet are never planned, structured and organised but as a consequence of pressure, slow weakening or transactional politics. They depend on the political dynamics, individual leaders’ interests and needs. Managing changes/transitions in political parties and coalitions is also a challenge.

According to the Political Parties Act, a political party is an association of citizens with an identifiable ideology or programme constituted to influence public policy of nominating candidates to contest elections.

A coalition means an alliance of two or more parties formed to pursue a common goal and is governed by a written agreement deposited with the Registrar. Political parties or coalitions are formed with the main goal of seizing power and establishing a government.

The functions of political parties are to recruit and enlist members, nominate candidates for elections, promote representation in Parliament and county assemblies of women, persons with disabilities, youth, ethnic and other minorities and marginalised communities, sensitise the public on the functioning of the political and electoral system, promote and enhance national unity, mobilise citizens into participating in political decisions, solicit and articulate public policy priorities as identified by its members, and shape and influence public policy.

Most of these functions remain undone by most parties and are difficult to enforce or police. Political parties are publicly funded but a more desirable and fairer criterion for funding is a serious bone of contention for political parties and must be resolved immediately to enable parties to receive sufficient funding.

Coalitions are formed before elections since 2002, with the rainbow coalition wrestling power from 39 years of Kenya African National Union (KANU) rule. Since then political parties and candidates come together in quickly put together coalitions for purposes of winning.

These coalitions often disintegrate before the next elections or are renamed and remodelled for the next election for the same purpose and mostly with same politicians. Most coalitions’ jelling power are political interests, which are personal to self and involve seizing and sharing power and positions. Therefore, some structures and organs of coalitions in the coalition agreements are not always well thought out or even practical to implement once the election is over.

Once a coalition of parties wins an election, the vehicle, having achieved its sole goal, ceases to be of value to the new government and the opposition coalition almost becomes a burden to its members.

The Kenya Kwanza coalition, once it seized the government, lost its original appeal and to consolidate power and numbers, its leadership’s approach was to determine the best way in which it can serve the government’s interests thereby requiring its constituent political parties to fold and merge with the main presidential party, UDA.

The aggrieved, although insisting on remaining “independent” within the coalition will have little choice in 2027 if the main parliamentary parties within the coalition merge or go one way or the other.

However, the possibility of UDA transforming itself into one super political party and seizing power is minimal so it’s likely to form another coalition of many regional parties to win elections because most parties, although national in membership remain regional and local in following and support.

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya on the other end is having difficulties convincing Kenyans that it is in opposition when some members of ODM have joined the government. There will be different alliances and coalitions come 2027.