John Cox Lorionokou, the Registrar of Political Parties, speaks during an engagement with IEBC on September 3, 2026. Photo: ORPP
The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has released key timelines and procedures that political parties, coalitions and independent candidates must follow ahead of the August 10, 2027 General Election.
The guidelines, based on the Political Parties Act and the Elections Act, are intended to promote compliance, transparency and orderly preparation for the elections, particularly in party nominations, mergers, coalitions and independent candidacies.
According to the ORPP, political parties must submit the names and specimen signatures of their authorised officials to both the ORPP and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) by mid-October 2026.
Parties are also required to submit their nomination rules between September 26 and October 16, 2026.
The Registrar is expected to certify the nomination rules by October 30, 2026.
Political parties will subsequently be required to submit their membership lists for certification in March 2027, ahead of party nominations later in the year.
Independent candidates
The ORPP has also set deadlines for Kenyans intending to contest the 2027 election as independent candidates.
Those seeking to run as independents must resign from their political parties by May 8, 2027.
Independent candidates will also be required to submit and certify their symbols with the ORPP between March and May 2027.
They will additionally be required to obtain confirmation that they are not members of any registered political party.
The requirements are aimed at ensuring that individuals seeking elective positions as independent candidates meet the legal conditions governing independent candidature.
Mergers and coalitions
The communique also outlines requirements for political parties seeking to merge or form coalitions ahead of the elections.
Political parties entering into merger agreements must submit the agreements to the ORPP within 21 days of signing.
Coalition agreements will also have to be filed with the Registrar within the prescribed timelines, with deadlines falling in April and May 2027, depending on whether the agreement involves coalition political parties or a pre-election coalition.
The ORPP urged political parties and prospective candidates to adhere strictly to the deadlines to avoid complications as the country prepares for the 2027 polls.
Registrar of Political Parties J. C. Lorionokou emphasised that the timelines are binding and essential to ensuring an orderly electoral preparation process.
The ORPP said it would continue working closely with the IEBC to safeguard the integrity, transparency and credibility of Kenya’s electoral process ahead of the August 2027 elections.
