A planned crackdown on briefcase political parties by the registrar ahead of the 2027 polls has triggered a major storm that could spill over to the corridors of justice.
Registrar of Political Parties, John Cox Lorionokou, has announced a week-long investigation and physical inspection of head and branch offices of all fully registered outfits to ensure compliance with the Political Parties Act.
The implication of the planned exercise is that several political parties without physical offices in at least 24 counties – as required by law – could be locked out of the 2027 polls.
Mr Lorionokou has since notified secretaries-general of the outfits of the exercise set for October 5 to 9.
“In line with this mandate, the office will conduct an inspection of the head offices and branch offices of all fully registered political parties to ascertain compliance with the maintenance of a registered head office and branch offices in more than half the counties,” Mr Lorionokou said in a letter dated September 14, 2026.
But political parties are reading mischief in the planned exercise. Some party officials told the Nation that ORPP already conducted an inspection of head offices in March. They questioned the need for another inspection when parties are seeking to meet electoral timelines set by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Some of the officials claim there could be a plot to lock out some parties from the 2027 General Election. Some of them have since petitioned the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC) to convene a crisis meeting with the ORPP.
An official of one of the major outfits said there was an agreement between the parties and the ORPP to conduct the exercise next year after the elections.
PPLC chairperson Evans Misati said ORPP can proceed with the exercise, but warned against any actions before the next elections. He said the outcome of that exercise should not affect the 2027 elections.
“If that happens, we will fight viciously. Our parties should not be distracted from preparing for the next elections. No party will be locked out of the elections based on the exercise,” said Mr Misati.
Kenya currently has 99 fully registered political parties, an increase of nine from 90 that existed in the run up to the 2022 polls, according to the ORPP.
Also flagged for not having physical presence in at least 24 counties include Ford Kenya of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) associated with Senate Speaker Amason Kingi.
Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa
The Democratic Action Party Kenya (DAP-K) of former Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, Maendeleo Chap Chap (MCC) of Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) of Ugenya MP David Ochieng and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) associated with Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo, among others, were also flagged by Ms Gathungu in her report on the audited accounts of exchequer-funded political parties for the fiscal year 2024/25 tabled in parliament.
At least 48 political parties that participated in the 2022 elections are benefiting from the millions of taxpayers’ money to run their affairs.
Running offices in at least 24 counties has remained a costly affair, especially for briefcase outfits. Some have met the requirements for registration purposes, only to close them down thereafter.
Of the political parties that receive public funding, President William Ruto’s UDA, ODM, Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF) and People’s Liberation Party of former Gichugu MP Martha Karua are the few that have complied with the requirement of the law.
Section 7 (2) (f) (iii) of the Political Parties Act provides for the conditions under which a political party is considered duly registered.
Wiper Patriotic Front Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka addresses the media at the party headquarters in Nairobi on August 7, 2026.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
“A provisionally registered political party shall be qualified to be fully registered if it has submitted to the Registrar of Political Parties the location and addresses of the branch offices, which shall be in more than half of the counties,” the law states.
As a regulator of political parties in the country, besides administering the Political Parties Fund (PPF), the Registrar of Political Parties (RPP) has the responsibility to ensure that the parties comply with the law.
Mr Wamalwa’s DAP Kenya was registered under the Political Parties Act on May 17, 2021, with Dr Eseli Simiyu as Secretary-General and Mr David Muchele as chairperson.
According to the Auditor-General, “during the year under review, the party operated only one office located in Nairobi.”
Although the party submitted a list indicating branch offices in 24 counties, no other supporting documentation, such as lease agreements, staff lists, or activity reports, was provided to verify the existence of the offices,” the audit reads.
The revenues recorded included Sh30.62 million for the fiscal year 2024/25 compared to Sh16.2 million for the 2023/24 period and Sh18.94 million for the 2022/23 financial year.
DAP-K Secretary-General Eseli Simiyu told the Nation that they have since complied with the requirements. He said some of their branch offices had not paid rent at the time the audit was conducted. He said the party has since regularised.
Tongaren Member of Parliament Dr Eseli Simiyu during a past function in the constituency.
Photo credit: Brian Ojamaa | Nation Media Group
“The inspection is not a new thing. It is an annual exercise. We are currently compliant on that front. The issues which were there at the time of audit have been regularised,” said Mr Eseli.
Kanu Secretary-General George Wainaina did not respond to our queries on the status of compliance. KANU, whose party leader is former Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, was established under Section 3 of the Political Parties Act in 1960 and has party Headquarters on the 7th floor of Prudential Building, Wabera Street, Nairobi.
Kanu Secretary-General George Wainaina at a past event.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation Media Group
“The party had established only five county offices,” Ms Gathungu says of the KANU party.
“Although the party submitted a list indicating branch offices in 24 counties, no supporting documentary evidence was provided to verify the existence of the offices.
The party was in breach of the law,” the audit reads.
Data from the Registrar of Political Parties (RPP) shows that KANU has relied on the Political Parties Fund (PPF) and personal contributions as sources of revenue, with Sh29.03 million for the fiscal year 2024/25 compared to Sh21.24 million for the 2023/24 period.
Further, the audit shows that contrary to the requirements of the law, Jubilee Party “had only two offices operational in Nairobi with eight offices in other counties that had been closed.”
Jubilee Co-Deputy Party Leader Jeremiah Kioni.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
This is a reduction compared to previous records submitted to the Auditor-General indicating that the party had 10 operational offices in 10 counties.
The scale-down is notwithstanding that in the fiscal period 2023/24, Jubilee Party recorded Sh79.9 million in revenue compared to Sh91.01 million in the previous financial year, 2022/23, representing a decline of 12.2 percent.
The party’s revenue included transfers from the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP).
Generally, the funding reduced from Sh81.02 million in 2022/23 to Sh74.1 million in 2023/24, with public contributions and donations also dropping significantly from Sh9.99 million to Sh5.84 million, reflecting a 41.5 percent decrease.
Ford Kenya, with headquarters at Simba House off Ole Dume Road, Kilimani, Nairobi, has Speaker Wetang’ula as its party leader, with Mr Joel Ruhu as national chairman and Dr John Chikati as Secretary-General.
It was again registered in August 2008 under the Political Parties Act of 2007 before complying with the requirements of the new Political Parties Act of 2011.
Records at the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) indicate that the party operated “only one office located in Nairobi.”
“Although the party submitted a list of branch offices in 34 counties, no documentation such as lease agreements, staff list or activity was provided to verify the existence of the offices,” the audit reveals.
The failure to comply with the law was flagged by the auditors despite the party receiving Sh25.03 million from the Political Parties Fund (PPF) “based on the results of the August 2022 general election” compared to Sh13.22 million for the 2023/24 period.
The contribution included revenue from contributions by members of the National Assembly of Sh5.2 million, with the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) contributing Sh1.2 million and Sh310,000 recorded as revenue from other sources.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi’s Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) was registered on July 2, 2021, with a secretariat at Epic Business Centre, Links Road, Nyali, Mombasa.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The party marked its entry into Kenya's national politics during the August 2022 general election, “securing foundational representation with three parliamentary seats and 24 County Assembly seats.”
“The party only has Mr Hassan Abdalla Albeity listed as Deputy Party Leader. The position of party leader is not indicated as per the party’s records submitted to the Auditor-General,” the audit says.
The records at the OAG show that the party has established “only eight operational offices in eight counties,” against the requirement of the law and therefore “in breach of the law.”
Nonetheless, the party received Sh5.9 million in the 2024/25 financial year compared to the Sh5.8 million received in the previous year.
The MCC party of Dr Mutua was registered on September 22, 2016, with Mr Wilfred Nyamu as Secretary-General and Mahat Rashid as deputy vice chairperson and has headquarters on Riara Road, House No. 12, Kilimani, Nairobi.
The party had submitted to the auditors a list indicating branch offices in 24 counties, but there was no documentary evidence like lease agreements or party activity reports “to verify the existence of these offices.”
In the fiscal year 2024/25, the party received Sh12.26 million from the parties’ fund compared to the Sh6.5 million during the preceding year.
The party, registered on December 7, 2016, is claimed to have branches in Nairobi, Busia and Siaya counties and has Mr Michaels Oliewo as National Executive Director.
The party is headquartered at MDG Centre No. 22, Masaba Road, off Upper Hill Road, Nairobi.
Details from the auditors indicate that during the period under review, the party operated “only one office in Nairobi.”
This is despite the party submitting a list indicating branch offices in 11 counties but without providing supporting documentation “such as lease agreements, staff list or activity to verify their existence.”
Records show that the party received Sh8.2 million from the parties’ fund for the 2024/25 financial year compared to the Sh5.4 million for the 2023/24 period and Sh5.9 million during the 2022/23 period.
