A city lawyer has moved to court challenging the decision of the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties to allegedly refuse to register the Gen Z party.
In an application filed at the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal(PPDT), James Ogenga wants the court to issue a declaration that the decision by the Registrar of Political Parties to reject the reservation of the name the Gen Z Party is discriminatory and unconstitutional by violating.
Ogenga challenged the registrar after she declined the party name, Gen Z, on the grounds that it does not promote inclusivity.
"The learned Registrar misdirected herself by not providing the appellant with her interpretation of the name The Gen-Z Party before her refusal to reserve the name. She only states that the name does not promote inclusivity. The name could be given a plethora of interpretations including but not limited to Generation Zote, Generation Zion, General Zod, Gender Z, General Zeus, amongst others," he argued.
He says that on June 24, 2024, he made an application for the reservation of the name the Gen-Z Party in accordance with Section 4B of the Political Parties Act where he subsequently paid the requisite fees.
He, however, argues that days later, he got a call from the Office of the Registrar where he was informed that his application for registration was rejected for lack of inclusivity.
Ogenga says that the decision of the registrar is unconstitutional.
"The Decision of the Registrar of Political Parties goes against the principles enshrined in the constitution, in particular Articles 10, 20(2), 31(3), 27(4), 28, 36, 38 and 232," lawyer Ogenga states in court documents," he said.
Ogenga also wants to know why the Registrar only stated that the name does not promote inclusivity.
"At the same time, the Registrar of Political Party erred in concluding that the name Gen- does not promote inclusivity being that there are steps to be complied with in accordance to Sections 5, 6 and 7 of the Political Parties Act before the full Registration of a Political Party," he said.
"The decision made by the Registrar of Political Parties was made before she saw the list of members, the regions covered by the political party so that she could conclude that the name does not promote inclusivity."
He adds that the rejection of the name is thus premature, discriminatory and a violation of the political rights of the appellant.
Ogenga also wants the tribunal to issue an order quashing the decision of the Registrar of Political Parties in the letter dated July 11, 2024, rejecting the Appellant's application for reservation of the name The Gen-Z Party.
"That this honourable tribunal do issue an order directing the Registrar of Political Party to issue a letter to the Appellant that the name'The Gen-Z Party' is duly, reserved as of June 24, 2024," the court papers read.
