Who Decided, and When? Recording Aspirant Vetting Properly

Vetting decides who runs on your party’s ticket, and aspirants who are turned down often go to the tribunal. A clear record of who decided, when and why protects the party and treats aspirants fairly.

Separate what you saw from what you decided

Keep two things apart: the evidence (documents, clearance letters and interview notes) and the decision (cleared, not cleared or pending) with who made it.

Chapter Six of the Constitution on leadership and integrity, and the qualifications in the Elections Act, set the legal minimum. Your party’s rules may add more. The vetting committee applies those rules. It does not invent new ones on the day.

Every decision record should show

Use clear statuses

“Under review” is too vague. Use statuses that say what is happening: awaiting documents, interview scheduled, awaiting committee decision, cleared, not cleared, or deferred for clarification.

Keep reasons short and specific. “KRA compliance certificate not provided” is useful. “Failed” is not.

Control who can decide

Committee members should declare any conflict of interest. An aspirant’s relative or business partner should not vote on that aspirant.

Only the committee, with a quorum, should decide. Secretariat staff can check documents, but they should not clear aspirants.

Keep a history of every status change and who made it.

Agree who can

Handle appeals properly

Tell each aspirant the decision in writing, with the reason and how and when they can appeal.

Attach the appeal to the original decision, and keep both. Appeals go first to the party’s internal appeals body, then to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal, and from there to the courts.

Publish the final list carefully

Publish only approved outcomes. Don’t publish reasons that include private or sensitive details.

Keep the full internal record even after the list is public. UshindiOS records each vetting step, decision and appeal with who acted and when. Your party still sets the criteria and should take legal advice where needed.

Before the final list goes out