Register a political party in Kenya under the Political Parties Act, 2011 (as amended) and managed by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP).
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🇰🇪 Step-by-Step Process to Register a Political Party in Kenya
1. Form a Founding Team
You’ll need at least:
- A founding committee of at least 1000 members drawn from at least 24 counties.
- Each founding member must be a registered voter.
2. Reserve a Party Name
- Propose three names (in order of preference).
- Apply to the Registrar of Political Parties to reserve a name.
- The Registrar will check if it’s unique and not similar to an existing party or offensive.
- Once approved, the name is reserved for 90 days.
3. Apply for Provisional Registration
Submit the following to the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP):
- Duly filled Form PPA 1 (Application for Provisional Registration)
- The party constitution
- Party manifesto
- List of founding members (with names, ID numbers, voter numbers, signatures, and counties)
- Party symbol, colours, and logo
- Physical address, postal address, and contacts
- Minutes of the founding meeting (showing party officials were elected)
- Application fee (usually Ksh. 500,000)
If all is in order, the Registrar issues a Provisional Certificate of Registration, valid for 180 days (6 months).
4. Build County Structures
During the 180 days, the party must:
- Recruit at least 1000 registered members in at least 24 counties.
- Establish functional offices in those counties.
5. Apply for Full Registration
Submit:
- Evidence of county presence (membership lists, office leases, photos)
- Updated list of national and county officials
- Audited financial statement
- Copies of national IDs and voter cards for verification
- Proof of compliance with the Political Parties Act and Constitution
If satisfied, the ORPP grants a Full Registration Certificate.
6. Post-Registration Requirements
Once fully registered:
- You can nominate candidates for elections (after registering with the IEBC).
- Must submit annual returns, financial statements, and maintain transparency.
- Must adhere to gender, youth, and persons with disabilities inclusion.
- Comply with Political Parties Fund (PPF) requirements for possible funding.
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- Choose a distinct ideology or value — not just tribal or regional identity.
- Craft a clear constitution and manifesto to guide governance.
- Maintain transparency in funding to avoid deregistration.
- Consider youth and inclusivity to qualify for state funding and public trust.
