NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya has officially recorded 91 fully registered political parties, including the entry of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
According to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), DCP was formally registered on February 3, 2025. The party has since established a presence beyond Kenya’s borders, opening its first satellite office in Seattle, Washington.
The ORPP, created under the Political Parties Act of 2011, is mandated to register, regulate, and oversee all political parties in Kenya. It also manages the Political Parties Fund, intended to support the operations of qualifying parties in line with legal provisions.
The Registrar’s office carries out 14 core functions aimed at ensuring political integrity and transparency. These include:
- Maintaining a register of political parties and their symbols.
- Certifying independent candidates as non-members of any registered party.
- Verifying that no Kenyan belongs to more than one political party.
- Investigating complaints lodged under the Act.
- Auditing and publishing financial accounts of all political parties.
- Certifying party list nominations and regulating internal nominations.
- Training party election agents upon request and funding by the respective party.
All functions are designed to ensure compliance with the law and to foster a fair and democratic political process. The Assistant Registrar deputizes the Registrar and shares these responsibilities.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) recently advertised both roles Registrar and Assistant Registrar signaling a possible leadership transition within the office.
Kenya’s political space remains fluid, with new alignments and shifting loyalties expected ahead of the 2027 general elections. The entry of DCP, backed by a high-profile figure like former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, adds another dimension to the already crowded political arena.
In addition to Gachagua’s new outfit, the ORPP also recognizes parties such as the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Wiper, Jubilee, and others currently represented in Parliament.
The Registrar’s latest party list includes 91 names, drawn from across the country’s political spectrum and published in the July 2025 update.
Kenya’s multi-party system, reintroduced in the early 1990s, continues to evolve under the watch of the ORPP, which plays a central role in preserving transparency, accountability, and order in the country’s political processes.
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