Political party membership in Kenya is the lifeline of any political party. To become a member of a political party in Kenya, that party must be registered following the Political Parties Act. The Kenyan Constitution and the Political Parties Act provide political parties with the legal leeway to determine eligibility for membership for a political party in Kenya.
Living in a digitalized era, technology has made it possible and convenient to access services. The Office of Political Parties in Kenya has Developed a portal to allow Kenyans to know which political party they have been registered from their mobile phones.
A step-by-step guide
- Go to https://orpp.ecitizen.go.ke/
- Scroll down the screen and tap on check registration status.
- Go to check membership status and click on it.
The Registrar of Political Parties should not register an association of persons or an organization as a political party if such association or organization does not meet the requirements set out in Article 91 of the Constitution.
Article 91 of the Kenyan Constitution stipulates the basic requirements for forming a political party in Kenya. Every political party should-
- Have a national charter as prescribed by an Act of Parliament
- Respect the right of all persons to participate in the political process, including minorities and marginalized groups
- Promote the objects and principles of the constitution and the rule of law
- Subscribe to and observe the code of conduct for political parties
- Have a democratically elected governing body
- Promote and uphold national unity
- Abide by the democratic principles of good governance, promote and practice democracy through regular, fair, and free elections within the party
With the 2022 national elections in just a few months time, maters of political interests have risen. Political parties play an important role in shaping the relationship between the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature. The role of political parties in any policy underscores their necessity as institutions of social, economic and political governance.
Functions of political parties
- Representation of societal interests in the legislature
- Political socialization and participation
- Political education and communication
- Recruitment of political leaders
- Policy formulation
- Working towards cohesion
Rights of membership of Political Parties
It is important to note the rights of Membership of a political party. These include the right to:
- Participate in the activities of a political party.
- Campaign for a political party or cause.
- Contest for leadership positions in a party.
- Run as a candidate in the party nomination for candidates for general election and by-election.
- Access to party documents and records
Political Party Membership Termination
Membership to a political party can be terminated by a member through voluntary resignation, expulsion, deeming, natural attrition, or writing a letter of resignation to the secretary-general of the party from which you are resigning.
