PARTY ORGANS, ORGANIZATIONAL AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE THEREOF
Article 6.0 To ensure a strong grassroots network, the party shall be organized in four (4) levels:
i. The Ward level
There shall be participation of all-party members who are registered voters in any given ward as determined by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
Party members of any given ward shall elect their Ward Executive Committee (WEC) of not more than twenty-five (25) members.
The Committee shall amongst themselves elect their Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Organizing Secretary, Women Council Representative, Workers Representative, Equality and Disability Council Representative and Youth Council Representative.
For avoidance of doubt, the Ward Executive Committee shall adhere to the two-third gender rule, representation of youth, PWD representation and inclusion of all the marginalized social groups in that ward.
The Ward Executive Committee shall meet at least once every three months and its quorum shall be at least a third of its members.
The main function of the Ward Committee shall be to coordinate the activities of the party at the lowest level of our electoral structure and to elect representatives to the Sub-Branch Executive Committee.
ii. The sub-branch (Constituency) level
The Sub-branch of the party shall comprise of all elected Ward Executive Committee (WEC) members in any given Constituency as ascertained by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
The WEC members within a constituency shall form the Sub-Branch Executive Committee (SBEC).
The Sub Branch Executive Committee shall amongst themselves elect their Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Organizing Secretary, Women Council Representative, Workers Representative, Equality and Disability Council Representative and Youth Council Representative.
For avoidance of doubt, the Sub-Branch Executive Committee shall adhere to the two-third gender rule, representation of youth, PWD representation and inclusion of all the marginalized social groups in that Constituency.
The Sub-Branch Executive Committee shall meet at least once every six months and its quorum shall be at least a third of its members.
The main function of the Sub-Branch Executive Committee shall be to coordinate the activities of the party at the constituency level to elect representatives to the Branch Committee.
iii. The Branch (County) level
The Branch or County level of the party shall comprise of all elected Sub-Branch (Constituency) Executive Committee (SBEC) members in any given County.
The SBEC members within a County shall form the Branch Executive Committee (BEC).
The Branch Executive Committee members shall elect their Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Organizing Secretary, Women Council Representative, Workers Representative, Equality and Disability Council Representative and Youth Council Representative.
For avoidance of doubt, the Branch Executive Committee shall adhere to the two-third gender rule, representation of youth, PWD representation and inclusion of all the marginalized social groups in that Constituency.
The Branch Executive Committee shall meet at least once every six months and its quorum shall be at least half of its members.
The Branch officials and the Branch Executive committee members shall hold office for five (5) years. They shall be eligible for re-election.
The Duties of the Branch Executive Committee shall be: –
i. To conduct party activities among the general public in order to realize the aims, objects, policies and programmes of the party.
ii. To promote political and general education amongst the members and the general public of the branch;
iii. To recruit and review party membership
iv. To liaise and work under direction making organs of the party and;
v. To ensure strict discipline and adherence to party policies and programmes among individual party members.
Pending the holding of Branch Elections, interim Branch Executive Committees may be nominated by the NEC.
iv. National Level
6.1 There is hereby established the following Party organs at the National level:
(i) National Delegates Convention (NDC)
(ii) National Executive Committee (NEC)
(iii) National Governing Council
(iv) Parliamentary Group
(v) County Assemblies Forum;
(vi) Youth Council
(vii) Women Council
(viii) Workers Council
(i) Disability and Equality Council
(ii) National Elections Board
(iii) National Secretariat
Article 6.1.: THE NATIONAL DELEGATES CONVENTION
The National Delegates Convention, which shall be the highest organ of the party, shall consist of: –
(i) All members of NEC,
(ii) All members of NGC
(i) Parliamentary Group,
(ii) All Branch (County) Committee’s Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and Organizing Secretary of each County;
(iii) All Constituency Chairpersons, Vice Chairpersons, Secretaries, Treasurers and Organizing Secretaries of each Sub-Branch (Constituency) branch;
(iv) All Chairpersons and Secretaries of each Constituency Youth Council;
(v) All Chairpersons and Secretaries of each Constituency Women Council
(vi) All Chairpersons and Secretaries of each Constituency Equality and Disability Council
(vii) Chairpersons and secretaries of all committees and organs created by NEC.
The National Delegates Convention shall be held the year preceding the General Elections.
The NEC may however convene a Special National Delegates Convention at its discretion;
The National Delegates Convention shall be the highest decision making organ of the party and shall have the following specific powers, duties and obligations:-
(i) To approve long term policies of the party;
(ii) To receive, examine and approve the audited accounts of the party and its organs since the previous meeting of the National Delegates Convention;
(iii) To elect or ratify members of NEC;
(iv) To ratify the nomination of the Party leader;
(v) To appoint the Board of Trustees;
(vi) To ratify members of various committees as mandated by this constitution;
(vii) To consider and transact any other business that may be laid and/or referred to it by NEC;
(viii) To nominate the party’s Presidential Candidate and his or her running mate
Procedure of Meeting at National Delegates Convention
6.1.1 Ordinary Session:
An Ordinary Session of the National Delegates Conference shall be convened by a resolution of the National Executive Committee in consultation with the National Governing Council and held the year preceding the general elections at a place, time and date to be determined by the National Executive Committee.
The notice, venue and agenda convening the meeting shall be sent out by the Secretary General at least twenty one days before such date and published in two daily newspapers of national circulation.
Only agenda items as approved by the National Executive Committee shall be discussed at the Ordinary Session of the National Delegates Convention.
6.1.2 Special Session:
A Special Session of the National Delegates Conference shall be summoned by the National Chairperson upon the decision of the National Executive Committee or upon a requisition in writing signed by at least one third of the delegates eligible to attend an Ordinary Session of the National Delegates Convention.
The notice, venue and agenda convening the meeting shall be sent out by the Secretary General at least seven days before such date and published in two daily newspapers of national circulation.
Where a Special Session of the National Delegates Conference is requisitioned by delegates, a notice calling upon the National Chairperson to summon the Convention including the agenda and date desired for the Convention shall be served upon the Secretary General not later than forty-five working days before the date proposed;
Where the National Chairperson fails to summon the Convention within twenty one working days after due service of the notice, the Convention shall stand duly summoned and properly convened on the date, place and time contained on the notice.
Where a Special Session of the National Delegates Convention requisitioned by delegates is convened in default of the National Chairperson summoning the same, the delegates requisitioning the Conference shall, not less than twenty one working days before the proposed date, cause a notice convening the Conference to be published in two daily newspapers of national circulation, that such notice shall contain the agenda, place, date and time of the Conference.
Only agenda items prepared by the National Executive Committee or as may be requisitioned by delegates shall be discussed at the Special Session of the National Delegates Conference.
The National Chairperson or, in his absence, the Deputy Chairperson or any other person designated by the delegates in attendance, shall preside over a Special Session of the National Delegates Conference requisitioned by delegates. Similarly, the Secretary General or, in his absence Deputy SG or any other person designated by the delegates in attendance, shall be the Secretary of such Conference.
Quorum of the Ordinary or Special Sessions of the National Delegates Convention shall be 30% of members eligible to attend the NDC.
Decisions shall be taken through the vote by consensus, secret ballot or by a unanimous resolution.
6.2: THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (NEC)
The National Executive Committee, which shall be the governing body of the party and have decision making powers, shall consist of: –
a) All the National Officials as provided in Chapter 7 of this Constitution;
b) KCP Senate Whip
c) KCP National Assembly Whip
d) Party’s Executive Director, who shall be an ex-officio Member
NEC shall meet at least once every three (3) months and its functions shall be as follows:
(i) To act as the executive organ of the National Delegates Convention and to ensure that all decisions made by the said organ are duly carried out;
(ii) To regulate its own procedures and in the absence of the Chairperson at any meetings, to nominate one of its members to preside over its meetings;
(iii) To supervise the administrative machinery of the party and to take such measures as it may deem fit to enforce the decisions and the programmes of the Party.
(iv) To appoint the National Party Executive Director and other staff members for all departments of the secretariat and the party, approving terms and conditions of their service;
(v) To appoint other committees that, it may deem necessary for specified tasks to determine their terms of reference;
(vi) To recommend auditors and fix the auditors remuneration;
(vii) To create such Party Branches as it may deem necessary, and to abolish nonviable ones;
(viii) To provide for disciplinary measures against party branches;
(ix) To create other National Offices of the Party as it may deem necessary and/or expedient and to fill vacancies thereof pending ratification of the National Convention at its next meeting;
(x) To prepare and adopt a Code of Conduct and disciplinary rules, guidelines and regulations for the party members and party organs;
(xi) To formulate and adopt rules, regulations and guidelines as may be provided for in the schedules of this Constitution and for the better carrying out of the activities of the Party;
(xii) To prepare agendas for, and reports to, the National Delegates Convention;
(xiii) To determine the membership fee and the annual subscription;
(xiv) To make rules for the elections of party officials at the National Delegates Convention;
(xv) To make rules and guidelines for the National Elections Board on Party Nominations;
(xvi) Establish departments and set up committees, as it considers appropriate;
(xvii) To fill a vacancy should one occur on the NEC for any reason, by appointing a replacement who shall take up office until such a time that they are ratified by the NDC;
(xviii) To do any other task as provided by the National Convention.
Procedure for National Executive Committee meetings
The National Executive Committee shall meet at least once in every three months except for emergency meetings which may be convened by the National Chairperson according to exigencies of time in consultation with the National secretary General or by a written request made by 25% of the members thereof.
A notice for any NEC meeting or its Committees shall be sent at least 14 days before the due date.
The quorum for every meeting of NEC and its Committees shall be one third of the members eligible to attend NEC meetings.
The NEC shall endeavor to reach a consensus for all the decisions it makes. In case there is no consensus, a vote shall be taken by secret ballot.
All resolutions shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting and shared with the attendees within a reasonable time.
Committees of the Kenya Conservative Party NEC
There are hereby established the following Standing Committees of the KCP;
a) Strategy and Planning Committee
i. The Committee shall be responsible for advising the Party on strategy, planning, Party organization and Party policy.
ii. The Committee shall conduct appropriate research and advise the Party on its findings
iii. Membership and composition shall be determined by the NEC and approved by the NGC.
b) Finance, Administration and Resource Mobilization Committee
i. The Committee shall be responsible for developing strategies for and realizing financial resource mobilization and other support to the Party.
ii. Membership and composition shall be determined by the NEC and approved by the NGC.
iii. It shall assist NEC to recruit and manage employees working at the national secretariat and other offices.
c) Legal Committee
i. The Committee shall advise the Party on all legal matters.
ii. Membership and composition shall be determined by the NEC and approved by the NGC.
6.3 NATIONAL GOVERNING COUNCIL
The National Governing Council shall comprise of the Party Leader, Deputy Party Leader, the National Chairperson, the Secretary General (as Secretary and ex-officio member) and three other persons from among members of the National Executive Committee nominated by the Party Leader and approved by NEC.
The NGC shall run and manage the affairs of KCP and make decisions in between Meetings of the NEC.
The National Governing Council shall meet at least once every month. The quorum of all NGC meetings shall be at least one-third of the members entitled to attend NGC meetings.
6.4 PARLIAMENTARY GROUP
a) The Parliamentary Group shall consist of: –
(i) Party members elected or nominated to the National Assembly on the Party’s ticket;
(ii) Party members elected or nominated to Senate on the Party’s ticket;
b) The Parliamentary Group shall have the following functions:
(i) To articulate and support Party policies, Bills, programmes in the National assembly and/or senate;
(ii) Other duties and functions of the Parliamentary Group shall be as mandated by NEC;
c) The Parliamentary Group shall at their first meeting elect one amongst themselves as a Chairperson and a Secretary, a National Assembly whip and a Senate whip;
d) The Parliamentary Group shall meet at least once every six (6) months.
6.5: COUNTY ASSEMBLY FORUM
a) There shall be a County Assembly Forum in each County consisting of: –
(i) Party members elected or nominated to the County as Governors on the party’s ticket;
(ii) Party members elected or nominated to the County as Members of the County Assembly on the Party’s ticket;
b) The County Assembly Forum shall have the following functions:
(i) To articulate and support Party policies, Bills, programmes in the County assemblies;
(ii) Other duties and functions of the County Assembly Forum shall be as mandated by NEC;
c) The County Assembly Forum shall at their first meeting elect amongst themselves a Chairperson, a Secretary and a County Whip;
d) The county Assembly Forum shall meet at least once every six (6) months.
6.6: YOUTH COUNCIL
a) The Party’s Youth Council shall consist of members of the Party aged between 18-35 years. These members shall be represented at branch level as chapters attached to the branch membership;
b) There shall be Constituency Youth Councils at each Constituency consisting of a Constituency Chairperson, a Secretary and at least six (6) members representing the business, professional & tertiary institution, and student groups in this age category. These Branch youth councils will be part and parcel of the Party branches but act as semi-independent chapters carrying out duties and functions as mandated by the respective Branch Committees.
c) Each Constituency Youth Council shall meet at least once annually.
d) There shall be a National Youth Council comprising of two National Chairpersons one of either, and a Secretary all elected at the National Convention and six (6) other members representing the business, professional & tertiary student groups in this age category appointed by NEC;
e) The duties and functions of the National Youth Council shall be as mandated by NEC;
f) The National Youth Council shall meet at least once annually.
6.7: WOMEN COUNCIL
a) The Party’s Women Council shall consist of women members of the Party;
b) There shall be Constituency Women Councils at each Constituency comprising of a Constituency Chairperson, a Secretary and at least six (6) members representing women bodies-business, professional, religious, tertiary institution and welfare groups;
c) These Branch women councils will be a part and parcel of the Party branches but act as semi-independent chapters carrying out duties and functions as mandated by the respective Branch Committees.
d) Each Constituency Women Council shall meet at least once annually.
e) There shall be a National Women Council comprising of a National Chairperson a Deputy National Chairperson and a Secretary all elected at the National Delegates Convention and six (6) other members representing women bodies- business, professional, religious, tertiary institution and welfare groups appointed by NEC;
f) The duties and functions of the National Women Council shall be as mandated by NEC;
g) The National Women Council shall meet at least once annually.
6.9: NATIONAL ELECTIONS BOARD
a) There shall be a Special Committee on Nominations consisting of the Director of Elections who shall also be the Chairperson, a Deputy Director of Elections and a Secretary all elected at the National Convention and six (6) other members appointed by NEC;
b) The Special Committee on Nomination shall organize and supervise freely and fairly the Party’s process;
c) The rules and guidelines for the Special Committee on Party Nominations shall as stipulated in the third schedule of this constitution.
6.10: EQUALITY AND DISABILITY COUNCIL
a) The party’s Equality and Disability Council shall consist of special interest groups, people with disabilities and marginalized groups/members of the Party.
b) There shall be Constituency Equality Councils at each Constituency comprising of a Constituency Chairperson, a Secretary and at least six (6) members representing special interest groups, people with disabilities and marginalized groups;
c) These Branch Equality councils will be part and parcel of the Party branches but act as semi-independent chapters carrying out duties and functions as mandated by the respective Branch Committees
d) Each Constituency Equality and Disability Council shall meet at least once annually.
e) There shall be a National Equality and Disability Council comprising of a National Chairperson, a Deputy National Chairperson a Secretary all elected by the National Convention and six (6) other members representing special interest groups, people with disabilities and marginalized groups appointed by NEC;
f) The duties and functions of the National Equality and Disability Council shall be as mandated by NEC;
g) The National Equality and Disability Council shall meet at least once annually;
6.11: NATIONAL SECRETARIAT
There shall be establishment of a National Secretariat to be headed by the Party’s Executive Director.
The National Executive Committee shall be responsible for recruiting the Party’s Executive Director and all Party employees.
There shall be establishment of three Directorates – Finance and Resource Mobilization; Political Activities and Publicity; and Human Resource Directorate. These Directorates shall be under the direct supervision of the Executive Director.
The National Executive Committee will formulate the Party’s Human Resource Policy that will guide the conduct of all employees and their remuneration. This Policy shall adhere to all relevant labor laws and practices at both national and international levels and ensure that all the affairs of party staff are taken care of.
With the guidance of the Party’s National Treasurer, the Finance and Resource Directorate shall formulate the financial and audit administration policy for approval by the NEC. This Policy shall articulate ways in which the party shall mobilize financial resources and the usage of the same.