A rush to register new political parties is underway as leaders prepare to challenge President William Ruto in the 2027 elections. The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has received hundreds of name reservation requests, with 42 names reserved between November 2024 and January 2025.
Since 2022, seven parties have received provisional registration, while 45 others are under review. ORPP Registrar Anne Nderitu attributed delays in full registration to strict legal requirements and a rigorous verification process, including the newly introduced Integrated Political Parties Management System.
Kenya currently has 101 fully registered parties, with political realignments intensifying ahead of the next general election.
