As Kenya edges closer to the 2027 General Election, a flurry of political activity has gripped the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP).
Politicians, their allies, and political brokers are rushing to register new parties, alter leadership structures, and rebrand existing outfits in preparation for the upcoming polls.
According to the Registrar of Political Parties, Ann Nderitu, her office has received 220 applications for name reservations, with 42 party names already secured.
If all these applications were approved, Kenya’s political landscape would expand significantly, adding to the current 90 registered parties and potentially bringing the total to 352.
Read also:Ruto 2027
The ongoing rush to form new political parties two and a half years before the next election is unprecedented. While some seek to create fresh parties, others are engaged in changing party leadership, rebranding, and amending constitutions, symbols, and colors to align with evolving political dynamics.
One notable example is former Justice Minister Martha Karua’s Narc Kenya, which has rebranded to the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), a move aimed at reflecting a generational shift and appealing to young voters.
Additionally, the political scene is abuzz with speculation surrounding former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s anticipated launch of a new political vehicle.
Gachagua, who was impeached last year, has vowed to use the new outfit to challenge President William Ruto and mount an opposition force aimed at making Ruto a one-term president. Despite his impeachment barring him from contesting, he is seeking legal avenues to overturn his removal.
Registrar Ann Nderitu revealed that, of the 42 political parties currently under process, seven are under review, 11 have been issued with provisional certificates, and three have applied for full registration after meeting the necessary legal requirements.
However, she noted that not all parties complete the registration process, as some fail to comply with the Political Parties Act.
For instance, the application to register the ‘Gen Z Party’ was rejected for failing to meet the inclusivity requirements outlined in Article 91 of the Political Parties Act.
The registrar argued that the party lacked a national character as it focused solely on youth, thereby excluding other demographic groups.
A key hurdle for political parties is the requirement to recruit at least 24,000 members from 24 counties. This process is now more transparent due to the Integrated Political Parties Management System, which prevents unauthorized data usage in party registrations.
“In the past, parties recruited members manually, but since 2021, we have used an enhanced digital system to protect Kenyans’ data.
The system ensures that no one is registered in a party without their consent,” Nderitu explained. Additionally, individuals with mobile phones receive prompts before their details are added to a party’s register, ensuring accountability.
Despite the heightened political activity, Nderitu pointed out challenges in the governance of political parties, citing a lack of inclusivity in decision-making processes, especially concerning youth and women representation in key party organs.
Furthermore, she advocated for the constitutional anchoring of the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties as either an independent office or a commission.
She also called for amendments to clarify the overlapping roles between her office and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), particularly in supervising party nominations.
“We need clear legal guidelines on the extent to which the ORPP can oversee party nominations, considering that Article 88 of the Constitution mandates the IEBC to supervise nominations,” Nderitu emphasized.
