Politics in Kenya was long reserved for a specific ruling class. It was difficult for an everyday Kenyan to penetrate this seemingly exclusive arena. However, constitutional amendments and civic education have enabled anyone with interests in politics to be involved actively. The ease of registering a political party is one of the reasons for this revolutionary change.
Kenya became a multiparty state in 1991 which allowed for the registration of other political parties other than the ruling party. Throughout the years, several parties have been formed and participated in political processes.
Political parties play a crucial role in shaping a country’s future. They offer a platform for activists, regional leaders and even regular citizens to participate in the governance of the country by giving them legal standing, a right to contest for elective office, and share their ideologies.
In Kenya, anyone above 18 years old and who meets the requirements can form or join a political party. To register a political party, you must follow the laws that are stipulated under the Constitution and Political Parties Act. Here’s a guide on how to register a political party in Kenya.
Requirements of a political party
Political parties in Kenya must meet certain requirements and abide by certain regulations stipulated in the Constitution and Political Parties Act.
Under Article 91 of the Constitution, every political party must keep the following regulations:
- Have a democratically elected governing body
- Promote and uphold national unity
- Respect the right of everyone to participate in the political process
- Have a national character
- Abide by the democratic principles of good governance
- Respect and promote human rights
- Promote the objectives of the Constitution
- Observe the code of conduct for political parties
Under the Political Parties Act, they must have the following documentation and compliance for a full registration:
- An application form signed by the founding members with no more than two-thirds being of the same gender
- A written Constitution
- Signed minutes of the party’s founding meetings
- A list of founding officials
- Disaggregated data showing ethnic, gender and special interest representation
- Website and digital presence
- A slogan, symbol and name that does not imitate other parties or violate public morality
- At least 10,000 members who are registered voters in at least 24 counties
- Branch offices in at least 24 counties
- Ksh 500,000 registration fee
For a provisional registration, political parties must fulfil the following requirements:
- An application form signed by the founding members with no more than two-thirds being of the same gender
- Name, slogan and symbol of the party
- Signed minutes of the party’s founding meetings
- A written Constitution
- A Declaration of Compliance to the Constitution and Political Parties Act
- Ksh 100,000 application fee and Ksh 500 name search fee
Note: Provisional registration lasts for 180 days and limits political parties to certain rights and privileges which include:
- Hold and address public meeting for the purpose of publicizing the party and recruiting members
- Receive the protection of state security agencies for the purpose of conducting peaceful meetings
- Have equitable access to state-owned media
Process of full registration of a political party
The Registrar of Political Parties is in charge of registering political parties in Kenya. Registration occurs upon fulfillment of the requirements and submission of the application form alongside other required documents. Here’s a step by step guide on how to register a political party in Kenya.
- The party must submit a unique name, symbol and slogan for the party to the Registrar for Political Parties for approval and pay Ksh 500 for a name search
- If approved, the Registrar will allow the application to move to provisional registration
- Applicants must submit the signed application form, party constitution, inaugural meetings minutes, Declaration to comply with the law, party name, symbol and slogan and Ksh 100,000 fee to the Registrar
- The Registrar will publish a notice in the Kenya Gazette and at least 2 national newspapers
- If there are no objections within 14 days, the Registrar will issue a Certificate of Provisional Registration within 30 days of fulfilling the conditions of registration
- This certificate is valid for 180 days and parties should apply for a full registration within this period
- To apply for a full registration, the party must submit a list of 1,000+ members, location of its head office and branch offices, website and social media profiles, disaggregated data of its membership, and Ksh 500,000 fee to the Registrar
- The Registrar will publish a notice in the Kenya Gazette and at least 2 national newspapers
- If there are no objections within 7 days, the Registrar will issue a Certificate of Full Registration