Kampyongo upholds Registrar’s decision not to register First Democratic Independent Party

Home affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo has upheld the decision of the Registrar of Societies to refuse to register the First Democratic Independent Party.

The Chief Registrar of Societies Thandiwe Mhende on February 28, 2018 refused to register the First Democratic Independent Party on grounds that the application had not met the requirements provided for under section 9(b) of the Societies Act.

First Democratic Independent Party leader Darlington Kapasu then appealed to the Minister of Home Affairs, who has thrown out the appeal.

“Kindly be advised that I have taken careful consideration of your application for registration of your party and how the Registrar processed the application. Further, I have considered your subsequent appeal to this office and have observed as follows: The Registrar of Societies refused your application for registration as a political party on the 28th February 2018, to which you appealed to this office on the 29th March 2018,” Kampyongo told Kapasu in a letter dated November 5, 2018.

“However, your appeal has neither raised any new matter nor indicated any breach of the Law by the Registrar of Societies in refusing your application when she invoked the provisions of Section 9(b) of the Societies Act.”

Kampyongo told Kapasu that the law mandates the Registrar to implement provisions of the entire Societies Act.

He told him that in the particular instance, reliance on section 9(b) by the Societies Act could not be said to have been applied unilaterally without providing any sound justification.

“In light of the foregoing, this office has found no basis upon which the decision of the Registrar can be overturned. In this regard, I have decided to uphold the decision of the Registrar of Societies to refuse the First Democratic Independent Party,” said Kampyongo. 

In his appeal to Kampyongo, Kapasu stated the Registrar of Societies had unilaterally applied section 9(b) without reference to any encroachment in rules, which were cardinal to the application for registration.

“We have abided with all provisions of the Act as there are no rules that are repugnant nor any that are in conflict with the Act,” argued Kapasu.

Source: The Mast