Registrar of Political Parties John Cox
The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties is currently processing 32 new parties as politicians continue acquiring new outfits ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Registrar of Political Parties John Cox Lorionokou told MPs at the ongoing five-day retreat in Naivasha that the 32 parties have provisionally been registered and await full clearance once they satisfy all statutory requirements.
"Currently, we have 90 fully registered political parties. By the beginning of last week, they were 92, but my office deregistered Ukweli Party and Vibrant Democratic Party on January 12," revealed Mr Lorionokou.
President William Ruto with other Kenya Kwanza leaders during the Kenya Kwanza Women Charter Conference at Nyayo National Stadium on June 10, 2022.
Between March and December 2025, at least 27 new parties were registered, with an additional five registered in January 2026.
He further said that there are three existing coalitions in the country namely: Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance, Kenya Kwanza Alliance and Taifa Democratic Coalition.
The wave of new registrations indicates major political realignments and preparations for next year's polls.
The Nation established that some of the new parties that have already received provisional registration include: The Future Party (TFP) and Democratic Development Party of Kenya, associated with former Bahati Member of Parliament Kimani Ngunjiri and ex-Senator Paul Ben Njoroge respectively.
Others are People's Forum for Rebuilding Democracy (PFRD), Imarisha Uchumi Party (IUP), African Development Congress (ADC), Kenya Ahadi Party (KAP) and Democratic for Citizens Party (DCP).
Another outfit, the We Alliance Party (TWAP), whose symbol is a plate and spoon, has also applied for full registration.
The parties join the growing list of 90 fully registered political parties seeking to formed ahead of the 2027 polls.
Hive of activity
By the end of last year, 220 applications had already been lodged and 42 names reserved, which if the registrar was to approve, would more than triple the number of new parties in the country.
The number of registered parties in the country is expected to rise to about 352 by 2027. Twenty million Kenyans are already members of the fully registered political parties.
An official at the ORPP on Tuesday revealed that the office has been a hive of activity as political leaders -through their allies, brokers and wheeler-dealers, seek to register new vehicles.
Political analyst David Ngugi on Monday told the Nation that the proliferation of new parties is majorly driven by fears of chaotic party primaries in major parties, the quest for party funding and desire for new political vehicles ahead of the 2027 race.
"More political parties will be registered in the coming months as politicians engage in realignments ahead of the 2027 General Election. Majority fear the chaotic primaries in major parties ahead of the polls," said Mr Ngugi.
Mr Lorionokou also revealed that the ORPP is critically underfunded, as it prepares for the 2027 polls.
The National Treasury building.
"In the 2025/2026 financial year, the ORPP received only Sh508 million against a Sh1.6billion budget requirement, leaving significant shortfalls that have crippled verification, inspection, and compliance. I plead with the National Assembly to help us get more funding from the Treasury to enable us perform our role ahead of the polls," stated Mr Lorionokou.
"Ahead of 2027, we need at least Sh1billion for registration and regulation of political parties, compliance monitoring, capacity building, record management, among other things."
He also said lamented about budget constraints that have seen the political parties' kitty underfunded over the years.
In the 2022/2023 financial year for instance, the fund received a paltry Sh884 million instead of Sh4billion, and in the following year, Sh608.3 million instead of Sh1.2billion.
A total of 47 political parties, including the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) were eligible for funding by the 2025/2026 financial year.
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