Political parties seeking registration ahead of 2022 General Election must now provide evidence of established infrastructure across the country, among other stringent measures as the national regulator tightens the noose on the process.
Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu said that political parties with provisional registration seeking full registration must provide verifiable evidence of their established infrastructure across the country as required by the Political Parties Act.
VERIFICATION
“As an Office, we continue to shift our processes to ensure that the registration of political parties is geared towards institutionalising political parties as citadels for democracy,” said Mr Nderitu.
This comes hot in the heels of the Registrar’s office kicking off an on-ground verification exercise of the various political parties that have applied for full registration.
The Registrar said there are currently 68 fully registered political parties in the country and 12 provisionally registered ones, of which majority are subject of verification during the exercise to ascertain compliance.
She pointed out that the verification exercise seeks to verify physical presence of functional parties’ offices in at least 24 counties, with their headquarters already verified.
It will also seek to authenticate party leadership, personnel responsible in respective offices, mechanisms for recruitment of members, membership register, party constitutions, party activities, policy framework and administrative structures, among other raft of legal stipulations.
“These are some of the stringent requirements for consideration for approval to full registration status. The requirements are complement to Constitutional requirements for formation of political parties which should have a national outlook,” she said.
IDEOLOGIES
Ms Nderitu stated that already teams her office have been dispersed in eight regions across the country for the exercise which commenced on Wednesday and is set to run up to January 17, 2019.
The eight regions include Coast, Lower Eastern, Upper Eastern, Western, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Central and Nairobi.
She explained that the verification exercise is part of her office’s commitment of ensuring political parties are established for posterity and capable of actualising their set out ideologies and as key avenues for the citizens’ political participation and inclusivity in the democratic process.
“On conclusion of the exercise, consolidated reports will thoroughly be scrutinized to ascertain the compliance status of the political parties in question. They will further, be guided accordingly in case of are gaps are identified with a view of ensuring full compliance prior to registration,” said Ms Nderitu.
The Registrar further added that they have already established seven regional offices in Kisumu, Eldoret, Nyeri, Isiolo, Mombasa, Nakuru and Kitui not just for monitoring parties for compliance but taking service closer to the people.
In addition to giving an opportunity for political parties and their members to seek guidance and services required of her office.
“My office will endeavour to expand to other regions and progressively to all the counties,” she said.
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